The Flight 93 National Memorial, located in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, attracts over 300,000 visitors annually. They come to honor the 40 passengers and crew who perished on September 11, 2001. This remote location draws people from far and wide to learn and reflect on their sacrifice.
Gordon Felt, who lost his brother Edward Felt on Flight 93, spoke about the impact of this memorial. ‘It’s gratifying for us to know that people take the time to come and spend a few hours here to learn about the story,’ he shared with CBS News during a National Park Service ceremony held to honor the Flight 93 victims.
Gordon Felt is committed to keeping the story of Flight 93 alive. His brother’s final moments, alongside those of others aboard, are pivotal in understanding the narrative of that day. As a CBS News reporter on the scene just after the crash, I remember the initial mystery surrounding the plane’s crash site. Using flight data, I traced the plane’s course from Cleveland, Ohio, to Shanksville, projecting where it might have continued to Washington, D.C.
‘The good guys won that day,’ Felt said, reflecting on the bravery displayed by the passengers and crew, who decided to storm the cockpit, thwarting the terrorists’ plans. They likely prevented an attack on the Capitol building.
Paul Pisano, present at the Capitol on 9/11, expressed his gratitude at the memorial. ‘I can’t ever thank them enough,’ he stated, reflecting on the actions that preserved a national symbol.
On September 11, many anticipated a retaliatory response from America, only to realize that a courageous act had already taken place in the sky above Pennsylvania. The Flight 93 passengers’ decisive actions became a symbol of resistance and heroism.