Anyone who is old enough to remember, can probably think back to where they were the day of 9/11/01. It’s hard not to remember everything that happened the day terrorists hijacked four planes and crashed them, killing about 3,000 people.
There are a couple of memorials that give tribute to the people that were lost that day and one stands in Shanksville, PA. It’s The Flight 93 Memorial, remembering the 40 people (crew and passengers) who were on that fateful plane.
The terrorists had purposely targeted planes that planned to fly from coast to coast, providing a lot of fuel. They also chose planes that were leaving about the same time. However, this plane ended up delayed, about 25 minutes. All of the other planes had crashed before this one.
When the terrorists took over, the passengers were sent to the back of the plane and told to keep quiet. But, when the passengers started contacting home, they discovered what had happened and realized this was a part of a larger plan. This inspired the passengers to fight back. Their willingness to stand up to these terrorists resulted in the plane crashing in a field, just 20 minutes from Washington D.C. (via plane). It is believed that the terrorists planned to crash the plane into the U.S. Capitol, but these honorable men and women prevented this from happening with their bravery.
You’ll see on the National Park Service’s website a line that reads “a common field one day. A field of honor forever.” It’s a place to honor all of the crew and passengers whose lives were lost. Plan a visit to see the memorial. You’ll have a chance to see pictures and learn more about the heroes that were on this flight. There is also a Memorial Plaza this “marks the edge of the crash site.” There is a “Wall of Names” as well to honor these men and women. You can use your mobile device to learn more through a self-guided tour. There are also “40 Memorial Groves, one for each of the passengers and crew.” A new piece is also going to be added called the Tower of Voices, which will hold 40 wind chimes. You can learn more about this new construction on the National Park Services’ website, and follow updates on the project with #TOV2018.
If you plan a visit to this National Memorial and want to stay overnight in the area, we invite you to visit our website. We offer a comfortable stay at The Parker House in Confluence, PA.