Field report about United Airlines Flight 93, one year anniversary memorial service. "A Time For Honor And Hope"
Attended memorial service at 9:30AM EST, at crash site near Shanksville, PA. Boarded shuttle bus at 5:45 AM, for about a 15 minute ride to the site. Sat next to a person from Akron, Ohio.
Powerful feelings and emotions present when we enter the site. Weather was very blustery. Angry sky. Appropriate weather.
The site is a big bowl shaped area, about a mile by a mile across. Reminds me of Montana. Big sky country. Similar to site; physically, of Little Big Horn. (no comparison meant, to the events or people) Ground is reclaimed strip mine with various grasses covering rocky soil.
Ceremony was set up about 3/8 of a mile from the impact point, which was behind us.
Impact site is cordoned off by a cyclone fence. Within the site is a large tent and an easily identifiable mound of dirt remaining from the excavation of the crater.
Heavy security due to nature of event, national threat level high, and the US President's appearance later in the day. Stood at a snowfence barrier for 3 plus hours, awaiting the start of the ceremonies.
The people on my left were friends of the pilot, Captain Jason Dahl. They were visibly shaken by/during the ceremonial event. They were from Portland, Oregon. Some members of the group were employees of United Airlines.
Phalanx of news reporters. Reporters continually approaching barrier (they were on the inside) to ask citizens for stories. A Chicago Tribune reporter was looking for someone from Illinois (me) to interview, so I contributed thoughts to her for an upcoming article.
Wind was blowing so strong that it blew over an aluminum speaker tower. Close call, the crowds hadn't materialized up to this point, so certain injury was avoided.
Ceremony started promptly. 2ND Marine A/C Wing Band & Johnstown Symphony Orchestra played appropriate background music. Moving pieces.
Presentation of Colors by US 2ND Marine Corp Honor Guard and presentation of Old Glory commemorative flag.
Pledge of Allegiance led by a Boy Scout.
National Anthem by Claudia Benack, Soloist.
Fly by, performed by 3, C-130's (troop transport-cargo missions) out of 911th Airlift Wing, Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station. (Missing man formation.) I believe some of these particular birds may also be midair refuelers (tankers).
One minute of silence for world peace requested by 11 year old-Murial Borza, sister to passenger on Flight 93, Deora Bodley. Someone claps early however, and only about 15 seconds elapse.
Remarks by Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot, Jason Dahl. The text must be read. I cannot recall, nor would I do justice to, any of the speeches today, were I not to be accurate.
10:06 Tolling of bells. Once for each passenger as their name was read. Haunting...
Intro to keynote speaker by Governor Mark Sweiker. This was a very inspired speech. Find the text and read it. Governor was fired up. Crowd applauded as key points were made. Sometimes vigorously, to get the point across.
Keynote speaker, Governor Tom Ridge. Governor Ridge gave powerful speech as well, could not hear his speech as well...spoke too soft/quiet.
21 Gun Salute & taps.
Release of 40 white doves representing fallen heroes of flight 93. Doves circled the field once. Beautiful metaphor.
Singing of God Bless America with 2ND Marine A/C Wing Band & assembled crowd.
F-5 fighters fly missing man formation.
Retirement of colors.
Orchestra plays recesssional music.
Formal departure of Flight 93 families. Crowd gives warm applause as buses roll by. Touching gesture.
Dignitaries and special guests leave. Crowd applauds them as well.
Spontaneous moment:
The families sat in chairs in the front of the ceremony (appropriately.) They stood up as the first responders (rescue, fire, police, etc.) were introduced, and gave them a standing ovation. Great moment witnessed today.
United Airlines Flight Crews approach bus loading areas. They are seperated from the Shanksville community and visitors such as myself, by a road which has snowfence barriers on both sides. Shanksville area residents and community visitors applaud United employees vigorously. United employees reciprocate. The human spirit triumphs...I am weeping as I type this at the Somerset Library...The United employees, (mostly) operate out of Newark, NJ, site of, the hijacked airplane/s take off point. They are friends and coworkers of Flight 93 crew.
Public leaves via buses.
The only way in or out was on buses. All roads in area closed. Nearby local residents ordered to stay indoors.
I noticed music was audible/detectable in between wind gusts. Navy Chorale positioned near impact crater site. Reason: President Bush is to lay wreath at site shortly.
Went back to motel room in Somerset and turned on local channel 6, WJAC, broadcasting live from impact site.
President Bush meeting with families of Flight 93. Pres. Bush spent 10-30 seconds with each person. Warm embraces, lots of spontaneous physical contact between Pres. Bush and Mrs. Bush and families. Pres. Bush spent 70 minutes at site with the families. Pres. Bush entered motorcade, for short jaunt to board Marine One. Marine One departs for Pittsburgh Airport. Air Force One at 911th Airlift Wing. Marine Two departs second. Press corp departs #3 helo. Live aerial view from a mast camera.
As the President was departing, a couple of little boys ran up to Pres. Bush and got big hugs.
Andrew Card is with Pres. Bush, as well as Condolezza Rice and Ari Fleischer. The same secret service agent that is always with Pres. Bush was right by Pres., as expected. Other than White House Press Corps., all other press were not allowed at impact site. Press had to move out of the area. Unbeknownest to most citizens, President Bush was on site at 12:30EST, to lay a wreath at the crater. This was about the time that most of the people and buses had departed the site.
For those familiar with the area, families of the deceased, stayed at Hidden Valley Resort, near Somerset, Pennsylvania. The White House was instrumental in making the arrangemnts, per local newspaper report.
Persistent rumors of A/C splash. theory, prevalent with local people. Perhaps another thread regarding this issue.
end of transmissiom...
It looks like a very peaceful place. Thank you for going.
Thank you for your report. It must have been such a moving experience.
posting etiquette aside (posting to myself)...I must leave at once to go to the Shanksville PA post office in order to receive (special) commemorative postal cancellation on 9-11-02 from Shanksville on outgoing mail
This was an incredible scene, when the boys ran up to Bush. It happened as Bush first started leaving the scene after a couple hours there. He & Laura started walking away and the boy came running out of the crowd and ran towards Bush, who turned around, and the boy jumped up to his shoulders. Afterwards two or three other young boys did likewise. I was watching on MSNBC's live (raw) feed so I'm hoping this will be displayed on C-SPAN replay tonight. It was incredibly touching and so poignant that somebody who was watching it with me asked, after the 1st boy ran up, "do you think that was staged?" - to which I realized people are so skeptical of such things after 8 years of Sick Willie - "NO!" I responded emphatically. This was also in total contrast to this morning's scare seeing der hildebeast reading names of the fallen at Ground Zero, something that nearly caused me to hurl violently (I was eating breakfast at the time, after all) and noted Katie Couric actually had to cut in and try to justify her presence there. If anybody has this footage of Bush and the little boys, please post & forward around - it was quite a real moment.
Wonderful, touching, and very complete report. Thank you for going and for sharing your experience with us.
Yes, a sense of reverence overtakes oneself at the sight, as the thoughts of what took place on that fateful day, distill into one's psyche...your welcome
Ping...totally spontaneous and genuine. Just what the President and the families AND the little guys needed. Big hugs and broad smiles.
