BGuthrie Photos: PA -- Shanksville -- Flight 93 National Memorial

PA -- Shanksville -- Flight 93 National Memorial:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. F93_160530_013.JPG: September 11, 2001 The distant Laurel Mountains are outlined against a cloudless, blue sky. The weather is mild, but few people are outdoors. Many sit stunned and horrified in front of their televisions, watching the World Trade Center and the Pentagon burn. America is under attack. Terrorists are using hijacked planes as missiles to destroy symbols of power. People in this area feel safe, relieved to be far from any terrorist target. Shortly after 10:00 a.m., a large aircraft just clears the mountain ridge before you, traveling far too low. Its engines roar as it passes over the cluster of homes in Lambertsville in front of you, wings rocking from side to side. It flies nearly overhead and disappears over the rise behind you. Local residents share what they see, hear, and feel in the last moments before the crash of Flight 93: "Out of nowhere this absolutely unbearable, horrific noise was going on outside, and it was just deafening. And it actually shook the windows and rattled the rafters... I looked out the window and absolutely could not believe my eyes, but in front of me, with the noise, was the back end of this incredible airplane with jet engines, and it absolutely filled the entire window as it buzzed by me." -- Resident of Lambertsville who saw Flight 93 from her window "The house started to vibrate, and things started rattling and shaking, and the noise kept getting louder and louder, so I ran to the window in our living room and looked out and couldn't see anything. So I went out the front door, out onto the porch and looked up in the sky and I saw it was just a silver streak because it came so fast." -- Resident on Lambertsville Road who saw Flight 93 from her front porch "And then, to the left of my driveway, which would be from the north, I saw the plane. I didn't know if it was going to actually clear the town of Lambertsville, it was that low ... I was probably one of the last people to see that plane." -- Resident of Lambertsville who was outdoors, washing his motorcycle, when he saw Flight 93 pass overhead
2. F93_160530_027.JPG: You can see the wall as well as the rock in the distance where the crash occurred.
3. F93_160530_077.JPG: A common field one day. A field of honor forever.
4. F93_160530_160.JPG: Todd M. Beamer
5. F93_160530_164.JPG: Captain Jason M. Dahl [This is the only figure who gets a title]
6. F93_160530_170.JPG: Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas and Unborn Child
7. F93_160530_175.JPG: Wanda Anita Green Flight Attendant
8. F93_160530_176.JPG: Flight Attendant
9. F93_160530_178.JPG: Ceecee Ross Lyles Flight Attendant
10. F93_160530_180.JPG: September 11, 2001
11. F93_160530_247.JPG: The rock marks the actual site of the crash. Note the commemorative stones that family members have put on top of it.
12. F93_160530_261.JPG: Trees are being planted here for the memorial
13. F93_160530_279.JPG: Welcome to the Memorial Plaza The Memorial Plaza is the culminating feature of the memorial. It marks the edge of the crash site, which is the final resting place of the passengers and crew of Flight 93.
14. F93_160530_281.JPG: Visitor Shelter and Arrival Court: This area serves as a gateway to the story of Flight 93 and to the Memorial Plaza. Interpretive panels provide ways to explore the Flight 93 story. Within the Visitor Shelter is the Leave Your Message wall. Park Rangers and volunteers are present to answer questions and deliver programs. Memorial Plaza: The long sloping black wall marks the northern edge of the larger crash site and debris field. The field and woods beyond is the final resting place of the passengers and crew. Benches offer places of rest and contemplation. Visitors can leave tributes in small niches in the wall. Hemlock Grove and Impact Site: At the edge of the field is what remains on a hemlock grove damaged by the crash of Flight 93. A gap is visible where the damaged trees were removed. At the base of the grove is a boulder which marks the general location of the impact site. The FBI excavated the site and crater was later filled in at the direction of the coroner. Wall of names and Flight Path: The Wall of Names, forty inscribed white marble panels, honors the passengers and crew. Visitors are encouraged to explore the subtle details of the Wall of Names. The black granite walkway marks a portion of the flight path. At the wooden Ceremonial Gate, visitors can look down the flight path to the impact site.
15. F93_160530_285.JPG: America Attacked! On the morning of September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda terrorists hijack four commercial U.S. airliners that are departing from East Coast airports. The terrorists fly two jet airliners into the World Trade Center's Twin Towers in New York City and a third aircraft into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. A fourth aircraft, United Airlines Flight 93, crashes into an open field near rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing all on board. The four aircraft strikes kill nearly 3,000 people, the deadliest attack on American soil by any foreign nation or terrorist group. Aboard Flight 93 Alerted to the events at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the forty unarmed passengers and crew of Flight 93 take quick and determined action. Their revolt prevents Flight 93 from reaching the terrorists' intended target. Evidence later reveals that the target is most likely the U.S. Capitol, where the Senate and House of Representatives are in session. Flight 93 crashes less than 20 minutes flying-time from Washington, D.C.
16. F93_160530_291.JPG: Mayday! The day begins with a cloudless, bright blue sky over the mid-Atlantic states. Seven crew members assigned to Flight 93 prepare for the early morning nonstop flight from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California. Thirty-three passengers are traveling for ordinary reasons. Four other passengers plan to hijack the aircraft. The terrorists began planning their attack as early as 1999. Still, some factors are beyond their control. Three of our hijacked planes depart on schedule; however, Flight 93 is delayed more than 25 minutes due to heavy morning traffic. American Under Attack Just four minutes after Fight 93 takes off hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 strikes the north Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. At 9:03 am, a second hijacked plane, United Airlines Flight 175, hits the South Tower. After 46 minutes of routine flight, at about 9:28 am, the terrorists on board Flight 93 take over, the cockpit. Air traffic controllers in Cleveland, Ohio hear the pilot or first officer shouting, "Mayday! Get out of here!" The hijackers gain control and turn the aircraft on a course directed toward Washington, D.C. At 9:42 am the Federal Aviation Administration orders all aircraft across the nation to land at the nearest airport. An estimated 4,500 aircraft land without incident. This is the first time such an order is given in US aviation history.
17. F93_160530_299.JPG: "We're going to do something." Aboard Flight 93, one terrorist claims to have a bomb strapped to his waist. The crew and passengers are forced to the back of the plane and ordered to be quiet. Using Airfones from the seat backs in the rear of the plane and cellphones, passengers and crew call their families, friends, and authorities to report the hijacking. They soon learn the shocking news that Flight 93 is part of a larger attack, including the news that a third plane, hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 am. This realization leads to a vote a collective decision to fight back. Fighting Back In little more than 30 minutes, these ordinary airline passengers and crew members, strangers to one another, develop a plan and put it into action. They rush forward from the back of the plane toward the hijackers and the cockpit. The cockpit voice recorder captures their struggle: shouts, screams, calls to action, and sounds of breaking glassware. As the passengers and crew attempt to regain control, a terrorist shouts, "Pull it down!". In the plane's final moments, it rolls upside down and at 10:03 am, plows into an empty field at a speed of 563 miles per hour. Upon impact, the 7,000 gallons of jet fuel on board explode, creating a ball of fire that rises high above the trees. People nearby report that, in the bright sunlight, the black cloud glitters with bits of metal debris.
18. F93_160530_309.JPG: The Crew and Passengers of Flight 93
19. F93_160530_314.JPG: The Investigation Minutes after the crash, first responders arrive on the scene, along with the Pennsylvania State Police. The September 11 attacks generate the largest investigation in FBI history. The primary goal of the investigation is to recover sufficient evidence to learn who committed the crime, how it was carried out, who financed the operation, and what might happen next. Clues From Flight 93 Investigators quickly realize that of the four crash sites, the Shanksville location will likely yield the most evidence in the least amount of time. Because Flight 93 crashes in an open field, parts of the plane - including the "black boxes," personal effects, and human remains - can be recovered here more easily. Enough remains are recovered to positively identify everyone on board the plane. Evidence recovered includes knives, passports belonging to the terrorists, and handwritten documents in Arabic describing the terrorists plans for the attack. Excavation of the crater reaches a depth of 40 feet where aircraft debris is no longer found. On September 24, 2001, the FBI closes its field investigation and the Somerset County Coroner later fills the crater and restores the scene to its condition before September 11.
20. F93_160530_322.JPG: Since September 11: In the attacks of September 11, 2001, terrorists target prominent symbols of the United States to create fear and a feeling of vulnerability in the American people. News of the attacks is met with disbelief, sorrow, and anger, followed quickly by a renewed sense of unity and patriotism that sweeps across the country. American servicemen and women deploy to Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East and along with US intelligence personnel, hunt the terrorists of al-Qaeda. Though Osama bin Lad, the founder of al-Qaeda is killed in 2011, the fight against the terrorists continues. The Flight 93 Memorial: In towns throughout the country, daily routines return, but indelible memories of that day and those lost remain. Memorials are constructed at the site of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and in cities and small towns across the nation. Here in Shanksville, people from across the United States join together to create a national memorial -- a permanent tribute to the extraordinary courage of 40 ordinary people. The serene fields, wooded groves, and rolling hills that bore witness to such violence, are now a lasting testament to the courage of the passengers and crew of Flight 93. Follow this walkway to their final resting place.
21. F93_160530_336.JPG: Cultivating a Living Memorial: Part of the architect's vision for the memorial is that it will be a place of renewal. Reclaiming the land after decades of surface mining has left much of it in open grassland. Today, multiple projects are underway to again introduce trees to this landscape and create living memorial elements.
22. F93_160530_343.JPG: A Memorial Landscape: Much of the landscape of Flight 93 National Memorial is unchanged from its appearance on September 11, 2001, when hijacked Flight 93 passed over these fields. These 2,200 acres of rural Pennsylvania, now protected by the National Park Service, bear scars of past coal mining, offer vistas of the distant mountain ridges, and are home to many species of birds and other wildlife. But through plantings and carefully planned, but simple construction, the land itself is being transformed into a memorial to the passengers and crew of Flight 93. Completion of the Visitor Center Complex is anticipated for 2015. The memorial offers space for reelection, learning, and healing.
23. F93_160530_373.JPG: Open to Change: Flight 93 National Memorial is a place of renewal. It embraces the natural environment, both stark and serene. Land scarred by decades of coal mining is being restored. Native trees are once again part of the landscape, and flowering meadows soften remnants of the area's harsh industrial past. Wetlands filter and water and create a habitat teeming with life. With time, these landscape will be transformed by nature, just as this place was changed by the events of September 11, 2001.
24. F93_160530_394.JPG: Future Tower of Voices: Rising 93 feet in front of you, tall enough to be seen from the highway, the Tower of Voices will mark the entry and exit to the Memorial. When the Tower is completed during a future phase of construction, it will sit among the rings of trees and house 40 wind chimes. The continuous song of these chimes in the wind will celebrate the living memory of the 40 people lost on Flight 93. How You Can Help: Since its inception, the creation and construction of the Flight 93 National Memorial has been made possible through the generosity of people from across the nation and around the world. But the work is not done. Join with us to ensure that this important day in our nation's history is remembered by future generations. TO find out what you, your company, or your private organization can do to help complete the memorial, please visit www.honoflight93.org
25. F93_160601_059.JPG: The Flight 93 National Memorial (September 11) in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The crash site is beyond the closed gate.
Wikipedia Description: Flight 93 National Memorial
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Flight 93 National Memorial protects the site of the crash of United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked in the September 11, 2001 attacks, in Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania, about 2 miles north of Shanksville, Pennsylvania and 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. A temporary memorial to the 40 victims was established soon after the crash, with a permanent memorial slated to be constructed and completed by 2011. The current design for the memorial is a modified version of the entry Crescent of Embrace by Paul and Milena Murdoch.

The jetliner crashed west of Skyline Road, about 2.5 miles south of U.S. Route 30 (Lincoln Highway), 1.5 miles west of Indian Lake, and about 2 miles north of Shanksville.

Temporary memorial"

The site of the crash is closed to the public except for victims' family members. The temporary memorial is located on a hilltop 500 yards from the crash site. It consists of a 40-foot (to commemorate the 40 passengers) chain-link fence on which visitors can leave flags, hats, rosaries, and other items. Next to the fence are several memorials such as a bronze plaque of names, flags, and a large cross. There is also a guardrail on which visitors may leave messages. There is a small building with a guestbook. The building is staffed by Park Service volunteers, called ambassadors, who answer questions.

Permanent memorial:

Of the four aircraft hijacked on September 11, Flight 93 is the only one that did not reach its intended target, presumed to be the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.. The passengers had learned about the attacks on the World Trade Center through cellular telephone calls to family. It is believed that at least flight attendants Cee Cee Lyles and Sandra Bradshaw and passengers Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett, Andrew Garcia, Jeremy Glick, and Richard Guadagno (and perhaps others) fought the hijackers. The plane crashed into the Pennsylvania field shortly after 10 a.m., killing all on board, but no one on the ground.

On March 7, 2002, Congressman John Murtha (PA-12) introduced a bill in the United States House of Representatives to establish a National Memorial to be developed by a commission, and ultimately administered by the National Park Service. On April 16, 2002, Senator Arlen Specter (PA) introduced a version of the "Flight 93 National Memorial Act" in the Senate. On September 10, 2002 the bill passed both houses of Congress. The final bill specifically excluded the four hijackers from the passengers to be memorialized. When signed by President George W. Bush on September 24, 2002, it became Public Law No. 107-226, and the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

By Sept. 2005, the commission was required to send to the Secretary of the Interior and Congress recommendations for the planning, design, construction, and long-term management of a permanent memorial. The proposed boundaries of the National Memorial extend from Lambertsville Road to U.S. Highway 30. It will be about 2,200 acres, of which about 1,200 will be privately held, but protected through partnership agreements.

Design competition:

Initial design selection:

The commission decided to select the final design for the memorial through a multi-stage design competition funded by grants from the Heinz Foundations and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The competition began on September 11, 2004. More than 1,000 entries were submitted. In February 2005, five finalists were selected for further development and consideration. The 15-member final jury included family members, design and art professionals, and community and national leaders. After three days of review and debate, they announced the winner on September 7, 2005: Crescent of Embrace by a design team led by Paul and Milena Murdoch of Los Angeles.

The design featured a "Tower of Voices," containing 40 wind chimes — one for each passenger and crew member who died. Two stands of red maple trees would line a walkway following the natural bowl shape of the land. Forty groves of red and sugar maples and eastern white oak trees were to be planted behind the crescent. A black slate wall would mark the edge of the crash site, where the victims are buried.

Controversy:

This design drew criticism because it was entitled "Crescent Embrace". The crescent is a symbol of Islam, and the terrorists who hijacked the aircraft were Muslim and conducted the attacks in the name of Islam.

Jury member Tom Burnett Sr., whose son (Tom Burnett) died in the crash, said he made an impassioned speech to his fellow jurors about what he felt the crescent represented. "I explained this goes back centuries as an old-time Islamic symbol," Burnett said. "I told them we'd be a laughing stock if we did this." Representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado has opposed the design's shape "because of the crescent's prominent use as a symbol in Islam."

Mike Rosen of the Rocky Mountain News wrote: "On the anniversaries of 9/11, it's not hard to visualize al-Qaeda celebrating the crescent of maple trees, turning red in the fall, "embracing" the Flight 93 crash site. To them, it would be a memorial to their fallen martyrs. Why invite that? Just come up with a different design that eliminates the double meaning and the dispute."

The design's crescent is also oriented toward Mecca. One blogger conceded that it may have been a coincidence, but said, "But what a coincidence! Memorials are symbols above all and it may be inappropriate to commemorate Flight 93 with a Red Crescent facing Mecca."

The architect asserts that this is coincidental and that there was no intent to refer to Muslim symbols. Several victims' families agreed, including the family of Ed Felt.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has denounced criticism as Islamophobic.

Others criticized the design as too non-representational. "We don't need giant statues of the guys ramming the drink cart into the door. But pedantic though such a monument might be, future generations would infer the plot. All you get from a Crescent of Embrace is a sorrowful sigh of all-encompassing grief and absolution, as if the lives of all who died on that spot were equal in tragedy. They were not," wrote James Lileks, a journalist and architectural commentator.

Design modifications:

In response to criticism, the designer has agreed to modify the plan. The architect believes that the central elements can be maintained to satisfy criticism. "It's a disappointment there is a misinterpretation and a simplistic distortion of this, but if that is a public concern, then that is something we will look to resolve in a way that keeps the essential qualities," Murdoch, 48, said in a telephone interview to the Associated Press.

The redesigned memorial has the plain shape of a circle (as opposed to a crescent) bisected by the flight's trajectory. "The circle enhances the earlier design by putting more emphasis on the crash site, officials said in the newsletter. A break in the trees will symbolize the path the plane took as it crashed." There is criticism that the redesign does not address any of the issues with the original design.

Construction:

The cost of the permanent memorial is estimated at $57 million, and will be covered by $30 million in private donations, plus federal and state funds. The permanent memorial is planned to be dedicated on September 11, 2011. As of April 2007, only $11 million had been raised, falling short of the fundraising goal.
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