In May of this year I visited the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania where I took these photos.  I post them today as a tribute to the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives and heroically  prevented Flight 93 from reaching Washington D.C., 12 years ago today.   (please see images photos and text below)

The home page for the National Park Service’s Flight 93 Memorial Web site leads with the following passage : “On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their lives. Because of the actions of the 40 passengers and crew aboard one of the planes, Flight 93, the attack on the U.S. Capitol was thwarted.”

Simply put, this memorial in Somerset County, Pa., is a beautiful remembrance of the 33 passengers and seven crew members who perished in this terrorist attack.

The NPS Web site says of the braves crew and passengers : ” Because of the quick and determined actions of the passengers and crew, Flight 93 was the only one of the four hijacked aircraft that failed to reach the terrorists’ intended target that day. The passengers and crew showed unity, courage, and defiance in the face of adversity.”

The plane plowed into this field in rural Pennsylvania  three minutes after 10 A.M. , Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001.

The memorial is a quiet place. Not many people talked during our visit.  Everyone solemnly walked along the long wall that lists all the names of the crew and passengers who were lost 12 years ago.

On the day we visited it was quite windy and the sound of the United States flag waving in the wind punctuated the silence.

There are places along the way where visitors can leave mementos. In the photo above a model of the U.S. Capitol is surrounded by some coins and a bouquet of flowers.  Evidence gathered after the attack points to the Capitol Building as being Flight 93’s hijackers’ intended target.

Related articles

• The Day Before September 11
• Foundation: Flight 93 Memorial campaign is over (goerie.com)
• We Will Never Forget: Incredible Pics Show World Trade Center Tribute Lighting Up Night Sky (theblaze.com)
• County To Study Trail Link To Flight 93 Site (wilx.com)