flight 93 national memorial

The gallantry of those on the plane that saved further death and destruction on 911 is beyond my comprehension. The structure of the site including the debris field was exceptionally well designed. I just found myself standing there in awe. This is definitely the most moving experiences I've had. As an American, be sure to visit.

As someone who would've loved to pay respect to those brave passengers who saved America from further destruction on 9/11, I diverted off the interstate during a 10hr drive from NYC to Ohio after seeing a billboard saying this memorial was here. After several minutes of driving through mountains we arrived with a sign that said "last entry at 4:30" and a guard eyeing us. It was 4:35. So we wasted our time. Would've liked to see this memorial and I'm not too sure why times are so strict and security is so high for it.

I honestly don't know how to rate a Memorial such as this one that creates such sad emotion so I will rate it a 5 based upon how deeply touched it makes me feel....They have done a good job of creating this Memorial. When I enter I can immediately "feel" the negative energy of what occurred there. The Memorial Walk is moving. Living closeby I have visited numerous times mostly when there was no formal National Memorial, only a chain linked fence covered with beautiful emotional tributes from people all over the world. This is soooo touching it honestly brings me to tears. All I can say is, be prepared to be moved, really moved. Thank you to these brave individuals that endured this heinous act of terrorism. We will not forget.

After a morning of visiting other sites with delayed openings in fair weather, I am so glad I stopped here. The weather had taken a turn for the worse as I got to the exit for this site, but I couldn't drive by when I was within 10 miles. The roads were bad, and got worse; and it got so I was driving in moderate to heavy snow, with high winds creating two small whieouts, but this memorial was open! The lone Ranger on duty at the Visitor Shelter indicated that Flight 93 would stay open if at all possible. We couldn't even see the memorial wall from the shelter, but he left it up to me whether I wanted to walk out to it after he gave a good explanation of the site. I felt obligated to try, and made the 1/4 mile walk in near blizzard conditions. It was awe-inspiring, and almost made me forget the storm. This is an absolute must visit if at all possible - and be sure to thank the Ranger for working in conditions that close other sites!

First let me say that we stopped here on a very cold, windy and snowy day in early January. We saw the sign from the turnpike and decided that even though it was cold, the sun was shining and we were in the area. As we made our way to the memorial the weather deteriorated and at one point we considered turning back. I'm glad we didn't. When we arrived at the memorial it was so cold that it was hard to get out of the car. We quickly made our way to a very small building to take shelter, completely ignoring the pictures, signs, etc. and that is when our stop became worthwhile. On this miserable cold day, there was the park ranger waiting patiently to talk to us. She took us through that most horrible day and you could see in your mind the local people looking up to see the plane in terrible trouble, first responders racing to the scene and searching in vain unable to find anyone to help, or at first even the crash site. She explained to us the different phases of construction of the memorial and how each of them relate to what happened that day. We never left that building, but as she talked the clouds parted and we looked out over the debris field and tried to understand just what happened here. We never looked at the wall of names or walked along the low wall keeping the curious back from hallowed ground, but the heartfelt description of that day was a much more moving memorial than anything we would have experienced just by walking the site. We have been to the memorial in NYC and at it's completion, this will be a memorial fitting to this place and that day as that one fits the city. I have read a couple of reviews saying that there is nothing here and it is a poor memorial. Sadly they had to have been written by someone who did not have the benefit of talking to a Ranger and understanding just what happened here not just to the heroes on the plane, but to those who witnessed and those who tried to help. As we were leaving on this bitter cold day, we passed the construction site for the visitor center, where they are constructing the huge walls that follow the exact flight path of the plane as it was going down and we couldn't help thinking about there dedication and what it must feel like to be constructing this memorial. We will be back when it is finished and we will bring our grandchildren some day so that they will understand.

A quiet, moving memorial that does a good job of both telling their story and putting it in the broader context of what happened that day. It's a lot like the Pentagon memorial in that respect-simple, but very well done.I also really like that the memorial is a wide area, so you have to drive a bit from the main road. That will hopefully keep the development and political signs away from the actual memorial. Lord knows you see plenty of them on the way too it...

I never really thought about Flight 93 after 911 until the movie was made. When we were staying in nearby Somerset and I heard there was a memorial for Flight 93 I knew it was something that I wanted to see. There is not much here in terms of actual items from the flight. However, the memorial and the wall, like other memorials around the country, are a beautiful reminder of the sacrifice these people made for their country. This memorial is very educational for children and families and those who don't know much about Flight 93 and it's role in 911. They're in the process of building a visitor center, which would be nice to come back and visit. In the meantime there is a nice Plaza with photos of those who were on the flight; as well as a long path that walks you along side the field where the plane crashed; that path takes you to the wall that holds the names of those that were on Flight 93.This memorial is not is emotional as say Pearl Harbor, however, it is very somber and a very lovely tribute to the victims that died on this unfortunate day.

the journey from the main highway to the site adds to the somberness of this memorial. its off the beaten path, some pretty steep hills up and down so be careful driving. the site was under some construction this summer when I visited; having said that there really isn't much there but still worth the visit if in the area. a ton of bikers were there this day, young and old, not all travelling together. theres only a restroom facility, no refreshments. admission was free. try to be there for the talk the park ranger gives about the site; very informative

This is still a work on progress to memorialize the heroic actions of the passengers on that sad, day. It was cold when we stopped by so our visit was shorter than we wanted but highlighted by the volunteer from the area. They are building a larger exhibit - will definitely go back when that is done

It's in coal country in the Allegheny Mountains, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 86 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. The drive there from the south is a switch-backed mountain stretch of the Lincoln Highway through towns dependent on the coal industry. The beauty of the ride is interrupted by both the meaning of the destination and the conditions under which some of these mountain coal people live. The memorial visitors are welcomed by the residents who see those who visit here as a possible meager replacement for their livelihoods which are currently under attack.As we climbed the mountain, the mid-November snow started to appear in the grass and ditches - ice cycles oozed out of the black flat stones that were where most roads have shoulders. We became aware of just how treacherous these roads must become in a few months as a train of black dusted dump trucks flew by ignoring the special speed limits posted for trucks, dusting up clouds of the early morning's dried road salt as they passed.The crash site debris field is itself a beautifully reclaimed strip mine spanning over 70 peaceful acres. A black angled wall silently forbids all visitors except family members and friends from entering the debris field that in no way could be completely cleaned. A rock has been placed at the impact area as a gathering spot.The target is widely believed to be the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. At the time, Congress was in session. All of Congress, the representatives' staff, the building administration, visitor staff, maintenance people, and tourists in the building and around the grounds would have numbered in the thousands. There were 40 people on board Flight 93, not counting the three (from cell phone accounts from the passengers) savage barbarians, misnamed hijackers, who were piloting the bomb toward the innocents.At this writing a visitors' center is under construction at the point where Flight 93 was flying inverted a few feet above the ground, just before impact.A few days earlier we were at the National September 11 Memorial in Manhattan. New York City has its own way of doing things. The two fountains flowing into the ground in two stages made an impressive background for visitors to selfie themselves as Mideastern men aggressively hawked full color souvenir books for $5.00 to visitors straining their necks to look up the shiny new Freedom Center.In spite of the New York speed and noise, the site did well in eliciting the solemn sadness for the thousands of innocent families, while igniting a belly-fire of hatred for the animals that did this.The Les Paul atmosphere of New York City memorial, while appropriate for that fast walking culture, made this mountain top place in Martin country a place of contemplation. The emotions here, along with the same sadness and hatred found in New York, go deeper with more dimensions.American pride, suppressed and ridiculed by pop culture, the education factories, and the popular press, surrounds each individual plaque in the white marble Wall of Names that follows the flight path. The American fiction of the common man standing to become the reluctant hero when in dire circumstances becomes very real at this old mine site.Remembering the pictures of Todd Beamer and the interviews with his dad, when I saw his stone, I became weak and wept in pride to be close to such an American. I would like to think that I know what I would do in circumstances like those, but hopefully, I will never be sure.Thirty-seven cell phone calls from 13 passengers confirmed the purpose of the takeover and the inevitable fate of the people on the plane. The passengers and crew, by vote, decided to make an attempt to regain control of the flight. In the process, control was lost and the plane crashed on a sparsely populated Allegheny mountaintop.But what these 40 people, the flight crew and passengers on a airplane for all the same reasons you and I fly from place to place, deserve an honor like no other. They became solders in a war that targets the innocent with a cloak of fire, blood and evil. They fought in a manner with no less courage and honor than our best military special forces.Consoled by the fact that even if their efforts to control the plane failed, the meanings of their deaths would be multiplied by the lives that would be saved, they acted.A regiment of forty rows of forty oak and hard maple trees will grow to stand at silent respect for the passengers and crew of Flight 93.Go there someday and show your gratitude; salute them on this peaceful mountaintop church and cemetery and thank God for the spirit of such people.

In the middle of farmlands near Gettysburg there is a tiny speck on the map called Skanksville, Pennsylvania. There you will find a tribute to 40 civilian heroes that gave up their lives and maybe changed the course of history in our country. The Flight 93 Memorial is still in its infancy, but don't let that keep you away from it. It is a somber and an emotional place fill with the consequences of that day, September 11, 2001. My husband and I visited the memorial on November 9th, 2014 and it took me back to that infamous day. It is so quiet there that you can hear your own heart beat. At the present time the only completed portions of the park are the Memorial Plaza and the Wall of Names. The site is a bit out of the way and somewhat confusing to find but I firmly believe that everyone should make an effort to visit it and pay tribute to the heroes that lost their lives. A TRULY MOVING EXPERIENCE.

We were here on Veteran's Day. We were glad we took the time to stop and visit. This has an unusual feel to it, much like the battlefield at Gettyburg. It is hard to fathom what happened here or how many lives were saved by the bravery of these people. It is a sadly fitting tribute to total sacrifice that the empty field looks much like it did before 9/11/2001. The only difference is, people selflessly gave their lives to prevent even worse carnage, and this is their resting place.They truly are American heroes!

We visited before the fire which damaged some of the Park Services' temporary buildings. The visitors center is not yet complete. The Memorial itself is well-designed and considered. The long walk to the actual monument and back gives one time to reflect on exactly the sacrifice these brave people made. Looking out on the hallowed field where the remains of those souls will forever lie is a sobering experience. While the site remains a bit out of the way and at this stage has somewhat rudimentary facilities, every citizen should make the detour. Pay particular attention to the life stories of the crew and passengers given by the rangers or volunteers--they really bring it home! We can be thankful for the dedication and commitment of both the volunteers and those in the government and Park Service who are making the permanent memorial come to life.

Out in the middle of rural area but very easy to picture that day. While a National Park person stood near the beginning entry and said hello, it wasn't until we reached the wall and asked the volunteer a question that we felt the emotion as she recounted for at least 10 minutes the story which of course we were somewhat familiar with, but of course added to the somber memory of those brave folks. Not sure if the very large visitor center being built now will make it more of a shrine with mementos from loved ones, or will take away for the austere setting

I am a writer and photographer for National Park Planner (npplan.com) and I visited the Flight 93 National Memorial in September 2014.On September 11, 2001, four groups of terrorists, part of the Al Qaeda organization headed by Osama Bin Laden, hijacked four commercial airplanes with the intent to use them as weapons to destroy symbolic targets in the United States. For the plan to work, all four airplanes would have to take off around the same time and hit their targets around the same time so that the US military would not have time to mount any defense. Three of the planes took off as scheduled and each hit their target: two flew into World Trade Center, one into each of the two towers, and a third flew into the Pentagon.The fourth, United Flight 93 departing from Newark, New Jersey, was delayed from taking off by about a half hour. Because of this, the passengers were able to learn about the other three airplanes via inflight phone calls. Realizing their fate was to be the same, they elected to rush the terrorists and seize control of the plane. This happened only about 20 minutes from Washington, D. C. (the target is believed to have been the US Capitol Building). The four terrorists on board knew they were going to lose the plane and opted to fly it into the ground. At 10:03 AM, Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing all on board.The Flight 93 National Memorial was created by Congress in 2002 and is one of the very few National Parks that is dedicated to a current event or living person. At the present time the only completed portions of the park are the Memorial Plaza and the Wall of Names. A Visitor Center and museum is scheduled to open in 2015. When this happens, National Park Planner will update this page to bring you complete information on the newest additions to the park.For complete information on the park and plenty of quality photos, please visit the National Park Planner web site.