In the fall of 2002, as Kevin and I were traveling east on I-70 to vacation in Pennsylvania, we contemplated trying to find the field where Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville on September 11, 2001. Our research showed it was not far off the interstate. We took the route we obtained online and followed hand-made signs down country roads. Eventually we arrived at the spot. It was September 10, 2002. One day before the first anniversary of 911.
Field Near Shanksville
There were a number of people at the site and preparations were underway for the ceremony that would be held the next day. A make shift memorial had popped up soon after the event. It contained a wall where individuals left hats, flags, flowers and other items. A large board was also available for visitors to leave messages. There were plaques honoring those who died on the flight. A group of local hosts were available to answer questions. The hosts stretched out a large memorial flag and invited everyone to hold the edge for a few moments to contemplate the sacrifice of the individuals on board that flight. The loosely organized memorial was very heartfelt. The emotions from that September day in 2001 still very raw in the minds of those in attendance. It was a moving experience.
Now, fast forward fourteen years. It is October 2016 and we are once again traveling I-70 east. This trip’s destination is our nation’s capital, Washington DC. Visiting the National September 11th Memorial & Museum in New York City the previous fall, we discovered that a permanent memorial was now open at the Flight 93 crash site. We decided to stop and visit this location again to see the changes. Later that week, we also visited the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Virginia completing the entire circle of that day in history. Read this general post on the three 911 Memorials.
Flight 93 National Memorial
The Flight 93 National Memorial honors the individuals who sacrificed their lives on United flight 93 on September 11, 2001. At 9:28 a.m., hijackers seated in first class incapacitated the captain and first officer and turned the plane southeast towards Washington DC. The US Capitol was most likely the target. The passengers thwarted this plan by rushing the cockpit. The plane went down in a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania just 18 minutes flying time to Washington DC. The crash killed all 33 passengers, seven crew members and the four hijackers. The heroic efforts of the crew and passengers prevented an even greater potential tragedy.
Flight Path Walkway and Overlook
From the parking lot of the Flight 93 National Memorial, we followed the long walkway next to the Visitor Center. The walkway and the building are high on the hillside in the flight path taken by Flight 93 as it crashed in the adjacent field. This walkway lead us to the overlook where we were able to see the crash site in the distance and the new Memorial Plaza. Standing there imagining the last few minutes of the passengers and crew as they struggled with the terrorists is chilling.
Visitor Center Complex
Next, we toured the Visitor Center. This building houses exhibits about September 11 and the events related to Flight 93. One diagram shows the flight path with a labeled, timeline of events. 
It is very apparent when the terrorists took control and turned the plane back east and again when the struggle in the cockpit with the passengers occurred just before the crash. It is amazing to see some of the small items on display that were found at the crash site. At another area, we listened to actual phone messages recorded by passengers for their families. It is very emotional hearing their last words as they knew they would not survive.
Memorial Plaza
As we left the Visitor Center we decided to take the Allée, a walking path which connects the Visitor Center Com
plex and the Memorial Plaza. It winds through the grove of trees planted to honor those who lost their lives here. It then crosses a wetlands area over the Wetlands Bridge. A shorter path down the hillside and a one mile drive are optional routes to reach the Memorial Plaza.
At the Memorial Plaza, a walkway, bordered by a black wall, marks the edge of the debris field and crash site. A large sandstone boulder in the field indicates the impact site. This forty acre field is the final resting place of the passengers and crew of Flight 93. On the anniversary of the crash or with prior approval, surviving family members may enter the field.
Farther down the path, white marble walls 
align with the Visitor Center on the hill and mark the flight path. Engraved on these walls are the names of the 40 passengers and crew, including an unborn child. You will notice in the photo the small flowers and items at the base of the wall left by family members and friends.
The site was barely recognizable from our visit in 2002. We were glad we decided to visit again and see the tribute to the brave individuals that took a stand that day and gave their lives to save others. It is a memorial worthy of their sacrifice. The next time you find yourself traveling through Pennsylvania on I-70, take a short detour and pay your respects to these American heroes.