Flight 93 National Memorial

On the morning of September 11, 2001, “four commercial airliners are hijacked by al Qaeda terrorists in a planned attack against the United States. Two are flown into the World Trade Center’s twin towers in New York City. A third is flown into the Pentagon in Arlington, VA. A fourth plane, United Flight 93, a Boeing 757 bound for San Francisco, CA, from Newark, New Jersey, is delayed 25 minutes before takeoff.” – National Park Service (NPS)

“After 46 minutes flying, when over eastern Ohio, hijackers in first class attack at 9:28 am, incapacitating the captain and first officer. Hijackers turn Flight 93 southeast, headed for Washington, DC, most likely the US Capitol.” – NPS

8:46 AM American Airlines Flight 11 hits 1 World Trade Center

9:03 AM United Airlines Flight 175 hits 2 World Trade Center

9:37 AM American Airlines Flight 77 hits the Pentagon

“Just before 10 am the plane is seen flying low and erratically over southwestern Pennsylvania. At 10:03 AM it crashes, upside-down, at 563 miles per hour into this Somerset County field. There are no survivors. All 33 passengers and seven crew members, and four hijackers are killed.” – NPS

“Flight 93 National Memorial is the nation’s memorial to the passengers and crew of Flight 93.” – NPS

The Visitor Center Complex stands on the hill above the crash site.

“The Memorial Plaza borders the crash site, which consists of the impact site (marked by a boulder) and debris field. The fields and woods beyond are the final resting place for the passengers and crew; their remains are still present.” – NPS

Memorial Plaza (from the Visitor Center Overlook)

While touring the Visitor Center you are able to see the faces of the passengers and crew. And to hear their voices as they are told about the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks – 13 people placed 37 calls. “Passengers and crew, realizing their plane was part of a planned attack, made a collective decision, by vote, to rush the terrorists and try to retake the plane. Recovered at the site, the cockpit voice recorder captured the shouts, thumps, crashes, and breaking of glass and plates.” – NPS

A short distance from the Visitor Center is the Tower of Voices. In 2017, construction of a 93 ft (28 m)-tall monumental “Tower of Voices” began. The tower contains 40 wind chimes — one for each passenger and crew member who died in the crash.