1. The Pentagon was hit by a plane on September 11, 2001: The attacks of September 11 were not limited to New York City. The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, was also hit by a hijacked plane, killing 189 people.

2. Virginia was home to some of the hijackers: Several of the hijackers involved in the September 11 attacks lived and trained in Virginia. Most notably, two of the hijackers who participated in the attack on the Pentagon, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, lived in Virginia for several months before the attacks.

3. The Virginia National Guard was activated: In response to the attacks, Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore activated the Virginia National Guard to help safeguard critical infrastructure throughout the state. The National Guard worked alongside law enforcement agencies to provide additional security at airports, train stations, and other potential targets.

4. Memorials were built across the state: In the years following the attacks, Virginia erected several memorials to honor those who lost their lives. The Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, which honors the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, features a memorial wall with the names of all those who died in the attacks, including those who died at the Pentagon.

5. Virginia played a role in the investigation: The FBI's investigation into the attacks on September 11 involved a significant presence in Virginia. The FBI's field office in Richmond, Virginia, was one of the lead offices involved in the investigation, and many of the hijackers' connections to the state were uncovered through investigations conducted in Virginia.