NEW YORK, NY.- The National September 11 Memorial & Museum today introduced to the public a new exhibit portraying the years-long hunt, the ultimate discovery and killing of Osama bin Laden.
There are three primary components of the exhibit, including a uniform shirt worn by one of the U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 members who took part in the 2011 raid of bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The shirt has an American flag patch on the sleeve colored black and brown. The flag is backwards, as is done on such military shirts in a symbolic gesture referencing the era when the flag-bearer led soldiers behind him on the charge to battle.
The exhibit is also comprised of a so-called challenge coin, which was donated by "Maya," the alias for the CIA operative who pursued bin Laden, and a brick recovered from the compound where the al-Qaeda leader was killed.
"This exhibit not only captures a seminal moment in American history, it also allows millions of visitors the chance to recognize the extraordinary bravery of the men and women who sacrifice so much for this country at home and abroad," 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels said. "I have had the distinct honor to meet the man who wore this shirt into battle and donated it to represent the heroic efforts of Seal Team 6 for their execution of Operation Neptune Spear. I thank him and 'Maya'--both for their bravery, courage and determination, which provided a measure of justice for every single American, and for entrusting us with these artifacts of such national and international importance."
"In honor of the courageous men and women who have put their lives on the line in the war on terror--and in memory of all those we lost on 9/11--a member of storied SEAL Team 6 has graciously donated to the 911 Memorial Museum the shirt he wore during the high-risk mission at the bin Laden compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan," said Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, who helped to secure the donation of the shirt. "I hope it will serve as a tangible reminder to all those who visit the Museum of the undaunted courage and steely resolve of the American men and women, who risk their lives to keep our country safe from harm."
"This display, in the heart of Foundation Hall, invites Museum visitors to contemplate the extraordinary dedication of the U.S. military and intelligence communities in their search for justice in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks," 9/11 Memorial Museum Director Greenwald said. "These artifacts testify to the outcome of years of effort to locate Osama bin Laden. The shirt worn by one of the U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 members during the successful raid at bin Laden's hideout in Abbottabad--referenced also by the brick from that compound--connects us in a powerful and immediate way to that operation. The coin, donated by the CIA operative whose determined, multi-year effort to find bin Laden's hiding place led these special forces to that location, commemorates the success of the operation."
The challenge coin was created to commemorate the successful operation that eliminated bin Laden. One side of the coin is marked "May 1, 2011," the U.S. date when the operation occurred. The other side shows a red "X" mark. After 9/11, President George W. Bush kept a list in his desk of key al-Qaeda operatives still at large. Whenever one was exposed, arrested or killed, he would make a red X through the assailant's name. The brick, recovered from bin Laden's hideout, has been on display in the Museum since it opened in May 2014. Several photographs complete the new installation. The identities of the retired Navy SEAL and the CIA operative are not included in the exhibit to preserve their anonymity.
Since the Museum opened in May, more than 900,000 people have visited. The 9/11 Memorial has had more than 15 million visitors since opening in September 2011.