The First Soaring Spire Rises:

Aug. 9, 2006

The long-awaited Air Force Memorial, overlooking the Pentagon, is becoming reality, with the first of three gleaming steel spires completed Aug. 7. The first spire, at 201 feet, is the shortest. The tallest will reach 270 feet. Air Force Memorial Foundation officials said the tops of the remaining two spires go into place over the next two weeks.

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