Flight 93 National Memorial

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 09/11/2018 at 15:02 • Filed to: wingspan, Planelopnik

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Started at first as a local effort, the memorial for the passengers and crew who died on Flight 93 on September 11, 2001 eventually became a National Memorial as part of the National Park Service. I took these photos during two separate visits to the memorial, before the visitor’s center had been completed. Shanksville is in a beautiful, rural part of southwestern Pennsylvania in Somerset County, not far from where my father was born.

From the parking lot, you must walk a long, zig-zagging path to the memorial wall. This pathway gives you time to contemplate what you will see at the end.

Along the way are niches in the wall. Visitors leave tokens often whatever they happen to have. These items are collected and cataloged by the National Park Service.

The Memorial Wall is aligned with the path of Flight 93 as it struck the ground. At the end of the Wall is a large, rough-hewn wooden gate.

Looking through the gate you see the flight path mowed into the field. Just before the tree line, a boulder marks the point of impact.

The boulder which marks the point where Flight 93 impacted the ground.

The names of the 37 passengers and seven crew members are etched on the Memorial Wall. In the background is the uncompleted visitor’s center.

“and unborn child”

The visitor’s center

All photos ©Tim Shaffer

Jcarr > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 10:46

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Always get a hitch in my breath when I see “and unborn child.” Nose stinging and eyes welling even as I write it.

Damn.

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 10:50

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My family and I stopped there this summer on the way back from D.C. I wasn’t expecting all that much, but it is a very moving memorial for those people who gave their lives on that day. The fact that it is located off of the Lincoln Hwy is just another reason to drive there.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 10:51

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“And unborn child” really hits me.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Jcarr 09/11/2017 at 10:51

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Me, right now, to the letter.

ttyymmnn > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 09/11/2017 at 10:52

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That’s my wife’s hand. I call this picture A Mother’s Touch . And yeah, it always chokes me up too. Could there be a more innocent victim?

ttyymmnn > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus 09/11/2017 at 10:53

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I think its understatement makes it all that much more powerful.

My hovercraft is full of eels > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 10:54

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ttyymmnn > My hovercraft is full of eels 09/11/2017 at 10:57

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“airspace sterilization”

I’ll be interested to listen to this, but I won’t look at the images. There’s no forgetting them.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 10:59

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When we make the eventual trip to DC and New York City with our kids, this will definitely be one of our stops.

I just had read this before seeing your post: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Beamer

WilliamsSW > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 11:00

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Thanks - great photos. I agree that the understatement makes it all the more powerful.

Like most of us older folks, this day brings back a lot of vivid memories of that day, and reminders of what we lost.

And, like others, I was kinda able to hold it together until I saw “... and unborn child”. That’s hitting me even harder these days than it used to.

ttyymmnn > WilliamsSW 09/11/2017 at 11:01

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It’s amazing how having a child can change your outlook on a great many things. The images of that day remain vivid, and I will go out of my way to avoid looking at any of them today. My memories are strong enough; I need not be reminded.

ttyymmnn > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 09/11/2017 at 11:04

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Steve in Manhattan > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 11:22

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I was on the 43rd floor of 919 Third. It was the strangest thing to see one tower standing, smoking, and the other one gone. Then the other tower went down, and the PA coverage started. No cell phones, but spotty internet and a TV in a conference room. I still remember the smell - metal and something else that I won’t describe.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 11:30

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Thanks for sharing.

ttyymmnn > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/11/2017 at 11:30

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My pleasure. It’s a truly powerful place.

Dave the car guy , still here > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 11:32

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Was there three years after 9/11 and then 4 yrs ago. It was tougher being there when it was closer to when it happened.

WilliamsSW > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 11:41

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Very, very true about having children - it’s changed my outlook in a lot of ways that I couldn’t have predicted.

Avoiding the horrific images is nearly impossible today, though I’m trying to minimize that part and remember the heroes today.

ttyymmnn > WilliamsSW 09/11/2017 at 11:43

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William Byrd > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 12:09

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That’s the only one I haven’t been to. Drive past the exit all the time on 99 (I think). Definitely need to visit. Thanks for the post.

ttyymmnn > William Byrd 09/11/2017 at 12:11

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My pleasure. The F93 Memorial is actually the only one I have been to. We didn’t make it to the Pentagon memorial last time we were in DC, and I haven’t been to NYC in more than 25 years. Having family in Somerset made it a lot easier to get to Shanksville.

William Byrd > ttyymmnn 09/11/2017 at 12:14

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The one in NYC is amazing. I just went for the first time recently. It’s underground, basically where the foundation of the buildings was previously. The scale is pretty surreal, looking up several stories at what used to be. We had our 3 year old with us and he said “The fire truck is broken, we have to fix it”. :(

I live in DC and have been to see the benches at the Pentagon, but I think they opened some sort of visitors center that I haven’t seen yet.

ttyymmnn > William Byrd 09/11/2017 at 12:17

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“The fire truck is broken, we have to fix it”

Out of the mouths of babes.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > ttyymmnn 09/11/2018 at 15:10

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my wife and i went to the wtc memorial 2 years ago, its absolutely sombering

DipodomysDeserti > ttyymmnn 09/11/2018 at 15:14

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They recently dedicated a chime tower at that memorial. There’s a sample of what it will sound like at the NPS link:

https://www.nps.gov/flni/getinvolved/tower-of-voices.htm

Chariotoflove > WilliamsSW 09/11/2018 at 15:19

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Yeah, I lost it.  Having a private office has its advantages.

ttyymmnn > DipodomysDeserti 09/11/2018 at 16:25

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That’s cool. I’m not sure when or if I’ll ever get back that way again. Most of the family that I had in that area are either dead or moved away. Last time I was there was for my uncle’s funeral.

xyzabc > ttyymmnn 09/11/2018 at 18:24

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Good job with the photos. 

ttyymmnn > xyzabc 09/11/2018 at 18:25

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Thank you. I could have spent the whole day there taking pictures.

RacinBob > ttyymmnn 09/11/2018 at 20:02

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Thank you for sharing. A reminder of real people, a real place and their unfortunate destiny.

ttyymmnn > RacinBob 09/11/2018 at 21:00

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You’re welcome, and we’ll said.