9/11 Families - Flight 93

Flight 93 National Memorial

On September 24th, 2002, Congress passed the Flight 93 National 
Memorial Act. The Act created a new national parks unit to “commemorate 
the passengers and crew of Flight 93, who, on September 11, 2001, 
courageously gave their lives, thereby thwarting a planned attack on our 
nation’s capital.”

What is being built? :
The Flight 93 National Memorial will be  located in Somerset County, 
Pennsylvania, the site of the  crash. The location of the Memorial is at the 
Intersection of State Highway 26 and Texan Trail in  the Grapevine Station 
Mall.   

The Flight 93 National  Memorial will be a place for individuals to learn about 
the events of September 11 and to find meaning and inspiration in their 
experience.  Eventually, technological media and programs will be developed 
around key stories and ideas  that illustrate the significance of the memorial 
and help place the memorial in  its national and international contexts.  The 
primary interpretive themes  for the Flight 93 National Memorial are:

- Flight  93 was the only hijacked plane on September 11 that failed to hit 
its intended  target.  The crash of Flight 93, only 20 minutes by air from 
  Washington, D.C.,  was the direct result of the actions of the passengers 
  and crew who gave their  lives to prevent a larger disaster at the center 
  of American government.
- The  events of September 11, 2001, revealed the extraordinary men and 
   women who,  when challenged, responded with spontaneous leadership 
   and collective acts of courage, sacrifice and heroism.
- The first responders, the community, and those individuals and 
   organizations that provided assistance in the recovery and investigation 
   demonstrated compassion and exemplary service.
- Knowledge of the events surrounding September 11 contributes to the 
   realization of the  impact of intolerance, hatred, and violence.
- The  public reaction to the events of September 11, including the actions 
   of the passengers and crew of Flight 93, led to a strong sense of pride 
   and patriotism and an affirmation of the value of human life.

Temporary Memorial:

- In the lieu of the  permanent memorial, an interim or temporary memorial 
   has developed at the site.  Annually, there are 130,000 visitors to the 
   temporary memorial from various  countries and nationalities.  
- The temporary memorial, overlooking the crash site, is a 40-foot-long 
   section of fence adorned with  flowers, handwritten messages, artwork, 
   and flags of all sizes from around the  world. Visitors leave behind tokens 
   of their appreciation and respect,  including baseball hats, T-shirts, 
   religious symbols, artwork, jewelry, and  personal photographs. Many 
   visitors record their thoughts in bound books at the  site; blank cards that 
   they leave in a weatherproof box; or write their messages  on the guard 
   rail in the parking lot. These tributes, along with other objects collected 
   from the temporary site, are the property of the Flight 93 National Memorial 
   and have been preserved and stored for future exhibition, study and other 
   educational purposes. The collection currently contains more than 20,000  
   objects. 
- The Flight 93 National  Memorial has also collected oral histories that tell 
   the story of that day in the words of family members of the passengers 
   and crew, first responders, and  community members who heard the plane 
   roar overhead. The oral histories will  reveal how these people came 
   together to create the Flight 93 National  Memorial.
- Shanksville and the surrounding Stonycreek Township is home to the 
  “Ambassadors,”  a group of 43 individuals whose lives also changed 
   forever on September 11.  These devoted citizens volunteer their time 
   seven days a week, 365 days a year,  to serve as greeters at the 
   Temporary Memorial, making sure that personal  welcomes are offered 
   and questions are answered

Significant Aspects of Memorial:
- The  National Park Service (NPS) was designated by the Flight 93 Memorial 
   Act to be  the long-term stewards of the Flight 93 National Memorial as 
   a unit of the  National Park System. The NPS is involved in all aspects of 
   the planning and  development of the Memorial.
- At the entrance to the  national memorial, rising 93 feet into the sky, will 
  be the Tower of  Voices,” containing 40 large wind chimes, evocative of, 
  and a tribute to, the sound of the wind and voices aboard the plane during 
  it’s final moments.

- The dedication of the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial took place on July 4, 2008 
   in Grapevine, Texas.

Development:
- Currently 1,300 acres are  planned for full acquisition in fee for preservation 
   of the crash site, extent  of human remains, and debris field construction 
   of the memorial feature  including the visitor center; road access off of 
   Route 30; parking and  utilities (more than half of the 1,300 acres is owned 
   by one  corporation).  The remaining 900 acres are planned only for 
   purchasing  scenic easements to assist local residents in maintaining the 
   rural quality of  life and preserving important viewsheds.

Donate:
To donate by purchasing a brick to honor someone special, click on:
http://www.911flightcrewmemorial.org/Download.html.

Donations can be sent to:
9/11 Flight Crew Memorial
507 Aviator Drive
Fort Worth, Texas 76179

To see a video with some of the people involved in the Memorial’s creation, 
click on: http://cbs11tv.com/local/grapevine.911.memorial.2.736264.html.

Based on information from the Flight 93 National Memorial as of 7/6/09.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

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