On Thursday, the Hurricanes were treated to a tour of the Pentagon  by hosts from the United States military. Located in Arlington, VA, The Pentagon has been the headquarters for the United States Department of Defense since 1943. It is one of the world’s largest office buildings with a floor area of more than 28.7 acres.

Mike Sundheim

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Among the highlights of the tour were exhibits on each war in U.S. history, including a display of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s medals. The team was taken to The 9/11 Memorial at the impact site where United Flight 77 struck The Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. At the impact site, the guide explained that The Pentagon is so immense that when the plane hit the building, employees on the other side of the structure were unaware, and found out that they had been attacked via CNN.

The military guide (who impressively walked backwards for the entire tour) also relayed the story of how Soviet spy satellites were tracking activity around a specific location in the center of the immense facility. As the guide explained, it was, in fact, an important place for the employees at The Pentagon – the Soviets were actually keeping a watchful eye on the building’s hot dog stand. The guide also pointed out that the courtyard at the center of building is large enough that you could place the U.S. Capitol building within its walls.

“I thought it was amazing,” said Hurricanes winger Ray Whitney. “American history is pretty interesting. It gave us an even better appreciation for everything the military does and the sacrifices that they make, especially when we saw the Medal of Honor room.”

The Hurricanes very much enjoyed their visit and want to thank their hosts for the tour. The team looks forward to hosting its annual Military Appreciation Night on Jan. 10 at the RBC Center.

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