4/30/2022 – Flight 93 Crash Site, Pennsylvania
I have been to the 911 site in NYC twice, the first time was in November, two months after the stunning event. There was only a pile of devastation, with a few remaining trails of smoke and heavy equipment attempting to disentangle. There was a long banner attached to the chain link fence which was serving as a makeshift memorial. People penned their feelings on the banner as they looked past the fence to the twisted heap which was the world trade towers. It was truly a moment of sorrow and silent reflection.
On the 1.5 hour drive to the flight 93 memorial in western Pennsylvania, Linda and I offered memories of the events on this fourth flight during that dramatic attack. To us, Flight 93 provided the most human of tales from that day. A passenger flight is hijacked, phone calls are made by passengers. Loved ones back home accept the terror of the situation and provide the news of two other hijacked aircraft which provided human guided bombs to the World Trade Center. In very short minutes, the situation is understood, the prognosis is bleak, the outcome is almost certain. Passengers shared their information, and a few made the bold decision to act against those now in charge. Very few minutes were used to recognize the urgency.
The site of the crash is now managed by the National Park Service. The curvy road in travels a few miles of Pennsylvania hillsides. The main parking is at a visitors center, which is not readily apparent. The first building is closed and a few placards and bronze displays show the layout of the park. A black granite pavement leads visitors on the pathway of Flight 93 toward its end. Tall pillars act as guides to that path. The visitors center is masked by these pillars. Within the entry, discrete signs indicate no photography. The displays are well organized, and follow the time lines of the day. The simultaneous coordination of four passenger planes used as weapons is remarkable, as we know. Three of the four planes hit their intended targets. Flight 93 was diverted from the flight plan and now is following waypoints to Washington DC. Todd Beamer was able to convince other passengers and at least one flight attendant to counter strike the terrorists who had taken over the cockpit. The decisions and actions were swift, the cockpit was stormed. Flight recorders captured the audio, and the flight controls, and the diverted flight path to a DC target. When those who took the plane with evil intentions realized the passengers were coming with force, they choose to scuttle the craft into the Pennsylvania fields, killing all aboard.
This experience at the memorial was emotional, I think more so because we spent time trying to imagine the thoughts of those on the plane that day. It struck Linda first, and struck me the most toward the end of the displays when the 40 passengers plus crew were all shown, Beamer was at the top left, that did it for me. A small gift shop is at the exit, where proceeds from sales help to fund the memorial, I bought the book, “Lets Roll” by Lisa Beamer.
Retired and Loving It 