25 Years Later, Shanksville Remembers 9/11

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

A somber anniversary is coming up for the nation, and it has an intimate connection to the Pittsburgh region.

Sept. 11 marks a quarter century since the 2001 terror attacks that changed the way America views itself and its security on the world stage. On that day 25 years ago, nearly 3,000 people died — 40 of whom were on a plane that crashed into a common field less than 100 miles from Downtown Pittsburgh.

The National Parks Service is holding a 25th observance ceremony at the Fight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville on Sept. 11-12. Organizers say a full slate of programming will be held mostly at the Memorial Plaza near the Wall of Names. The site of the plane crash is directly adjacent to and bounded by the Memorial Plaza, marked by a 17-ton sandstone boulder and serving as a final resting place for the 40 people who died that day.

“We gather together in a spirit of remembrance and reflection to honor the heroes of Flight 93, recall the moments that changed our nation and renew our commitment to carry their legacy forward with courage and compassion,” says Stephen M. Clark, superintendent of Flight 93 National Memorial.

The day will proceed as follows:

Sept. 11 Morning Observance – 8:30 a.m.

• Wreath layings near the visitor center to mark the time of each attack in New York City, Arlington and Shanksville.
• Musical performance by the Pennsylvania Quintet.  
• Reading of the names of Flight 93 passengers and crew members.
• Ringing of the Bells of Remembrance.

Sept. 11 Afternoon Ceremony – 1 p.m.

• Remarks and keynote speakers.
• Youth-based musical performances. 
• Wreath laying ceremony at the Wall of Names.

Sept. 12 Luminaria Ceremony – 7:30 p.m.

• Procession of 40 candle lanterns to the Wall of Names, hosted in partnership with the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial.
• The memorial will remain open until the conclusion of the luminaria (approximately 9 p.m.).

The memorial will open at 7 a.m. on Sept. 11, and visitors are encouraged to arrive one hour before the observance to allow ample time to park and shuttle to the event site. Accessible buses will be available to accommodate wheelchair users, and ADA seating will also be available for the public. If you can’t make it out in person, the ceremonies will also be streamed on the memorial’s YouTube channel.

Organizers also say all programming is free and open to the public and will be held rain or shine.

For more information on the observance, including weather updates and prohibited items, visit the memorial website.

History Happened Here

Many have come to associate 9/11 with the stark image of New York City’s smoldering Twin Towers; indeed, the 9/11 memorial and reflecting pool in the city has welcomed more than 50 million visitors from across the world since it opened at Ground Zero in 2011, and the nearby National September 11 Memorial and Museum has drawn between 14 to17 million visitors since it opened in 2014. While the Shanksville site’s attendance sits at a quieter 3 to4 million, it remains a vital part of the story.

The Flight 93 Memorial marks the spot where United Airlines Flight 93 went down on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. The 40 people on board attempted to regain control of the aircraft from hijackers, who were headed for Washington, D.C. — just 18 minutes away by air. 

As the story goes, told through the transcript recovered from the Cockpit Voice Recorder and voicemails the passengers left their loved ones, the plane pitched and rolled in a fight for the cockpit; the hijackers, outnumbered but still in control, abandoned their plan to hit D.C. and decided to crash the plane then and there rather than risk the passengers and crew gaining the upper hand.

At 10:03 a.m., Flight 93 plowed into an empty field at a speed of 563 miles per hour. Upon impact, the 5,500 gallons of jet fuel on board the aircraft exploded, creating a ball of fire that rose higher than the hemlock trees that bore witness, which to this day remain desiccated and burned.

PHOTOSBY HUCK BEARD

Experts estimate the plane was bound for either the White House or the U.S. Capitol Building, where the nation’s legislators were in session. Because the folks on board fought back, Flight 93 was the only one of the four hijacked aircraft that failed to reach the terrorists’ intended target. 

While the first features of the memorial were dedicated on Sept. 10, 2011, ahead of the 10th anniversary of the attacks, and the Visitor Center opened to the public on Sept. 10, 2015, the site had been an unofficial place of remembrance and honor since the immediate aftermath of the attacks. 

Before there was a Tower of Voices and a Wall of Names, there was a chain-link fence dotted with American flags and handwritten notes paying tribute to the lives lost on the day a common field became something much more.

“As the next generation, we have the responsibility to carry their courage forward,” says Emma Mumau, teacher and former memorial Education and Outreach fellow. “We are shaped by their sacrifice and honor them by choosing courage and kindness in our own lives.”