Scout's 9/11 memorial to include piece of Pentagon

LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) — A Boy Scout who has designed and raised money for a memorial honoring those who died at the Pentagon during the Sept. 11 attacks will receive the final piece of his Eagle Scout project on Thursday.

Joey Ricketts, a 15-year-old rising Brookville High School sophomore, will receive a limestone chunk that was once part of the Pentagon building that he will include in the monument.
Joey and his family were invited to the private groundbreaking ceremony for the Pentagon Memorial.

After that ceremony, Joey will receive the piece, which is 19 inches tall and 15-7/8 inches wide, to use for his monument.

The monument Joey designed will be built outside the American Legion Post 16 building on Greenview Drive in honor of a member's son who died in the terrorist attack at the Pentagon.
His father, Bobby Ricketts, said Joey sent a letter a few weeks ago requesting a piece of the building. Joey and Bobby Ricketts said they were doubtful they'd be successful.

But last Friday they learned that they would receive their request.

"A guy at the Pentagon called me while he (Joey) was at school and asked me what size I needed," Ricketts said.

He said the employee found a piece that would fit the monument perfectly.
"It was like it was meant to be," Ricketts said.

Ricketts said they don't know exactly where in the building the piece came from but they were told it could have come from the area where the airplane struck.

"It still has jet fuel marks on it," Ricketts said showing a picture of it. The piece also has a groove on its side, possibly a mark from the airplane.

The piece weighs between 85 and 100 pounds, Joey said.

Ricketts said the government plans to give them a letter informing them where their piece came from.

Joey's project began about two years ago when he decided to create a monument honoring the victims of the terrorist attacks at the Pentagon.

"This is all of my weekends. It has been before and after school things," Joey said.
Joey said he decided to take on such a large task for his Eagle Scout service project because he saw that victims of the attacks at the Pentagon had not been recognized as much as those of the attacks at the World Trade Center in New York.

One of the victims at the Pentagon was Col. David Scales, whose father John Scales is a longtime member of that post. Scales now lives in Wilmington, N.C.

Joey said he's never met Scales in person but has spoken with him over the phone several times, updating him on the project.

"He's really enthusiastic. He's really happy about this," Joey said.

He'll meet Scales and his family for the first time on Thursday. They plan to attend the ceremony, Joey and his father said.

The monument that Joey designed will stand more than 5 feet high in front of the Post 16 building.

So far, the base of the monument — concrete panels in the shape of the Pentagon and a square in the center for the pedestal — has been completed.
A granite pedestal is under construction and will hold the Pentagon limestone.
The monument also will include bronze plaques that will include the names of the innocent people who died, information about the event and pictures of Col. Scales and the crash site.
A former Pentagon employee also gave Joey a piece of the Pentagon's interior for him to use, he said.
"I thought this was going to be a little bitty project, (around) $5,000," Joey said.
He soon found out he would go far beyond the project's requirements.

Joey estimated the entire project at $11,000. So far he's raised about $9,600.

Much of his fundraising has included writing letters to various organizations and individuals. He also spoke at the American Legion post and other veterans group meetings a few times asking for help.

"I sent out a lot of letters and got back lots of checks," Joey said.

Ricketts said his son has used up almost all of the postage stamps he bought sending out letters and thank-you notes to those who donated.

Emanuel W. Cooper, the outgoing post commander of Post 16, said this project is a big undertaking for Joey.
"People will remember this project for a long time, forever it will be here," Cooper said.
Ricketts said a dedication ceremony for the local monument is planned for late August.