News Release

National Park Service announces ceremony to honor passengers and crew members of Flight 93 for September 11 20th anniversary

Bagpiper honors the 40 passengers and crew members of Flight 93.

Photo courtesy of Brenda Torrey

News Release Date: September 1, 2021

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SHANKSVILLE, PA– Two decades after September 11, Flight 93 National Memorial will observe the 20th anniversary and honor the 40 passengers and crew members who were aboard Flight 93 that day.  With public health in mind, the 90-minute observance will be limited to family members and invited guests and livestreamed on the park’s Facebook page. Park grounds will reopen to the public following the conclusion of the ceremony.

The ceremony will begin on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 9:45 a.m. EDT at the Memorial Plaza. At 10:03 a.m., the moment Flight 93 crashed, the names of the passengers and crew members will be read with the ringing of the Bells of Remembrance.

"The families of Flight 93 look forward to gathering this year on the 20th anniversary of September 11th to honor our loved ones and their heroic actions. We are grateful to the National Park Service for their efforts to allow this to be done in a safe and respectful manner with technology in place to assure that the ceremony is accessible to all, “said Gordon Felt, brother to passenger Edward Porter Felt.

“The livestream provides the best platform for everyone to experience this international service to honor the sacrifice of the 40 passengers and crew members of Flight 93, and to remember those we lost on September 11, 2001,” Superintendent Stephen M. Clark said.

On Friday, Sept. 10 the Luminaria Ceremony will take place at 7:30 p.m. Forty candle lanterns will be placed at the Wall of Names, serving as a moving tribute to the passengers and crew members of Flight 93. The Luminaria, hosted by the Friends of Flight 93, will be open to the public and feature music by the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra.

The memorial will close after the Luminaria Ceremony on Friday evening and reopen on Saturday, Sept. 11, immediately following the morning ceremony. At 3 p.m. on Saturday, the public is invited to attend an hour-long Memorial Tribute Concert performed by the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra at the Memorial Plaza.

The Visitor Center will remain open until 7 p.m. on Sept. 10 and 11. In accordance with US Public Health Service guidance, during peak hours the Visitor Center may delay entry to limit crowding and promote physical distancing. To best protect our staff and visitors, masks are required in all Flight 93 National Memorial buildings, regardless of vaccination status. Additionally, masks must be worn in outdoor spaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained.

Shuttle transportation will not be available this year. Parking locations are limited and may require walking over one mile on uneven surfaces. For more information and to find the virtual observance, visit https://www.nps.gov/flni/planyourvisit/sept11observance.htm.

Members of the media are encouraged to take advantage of the livestream or request credentials (required for the Observance Ceremony) to attend in person.   

www.nps.gov/flni

ABOUT FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL Flight 93 National Memorial is a National Park Service site that commemorates the passengers and crew members of Flight 93 who, on September 11, 2001, courageously gave their lives thereby thwarting a planned attack on our nation’s capital. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. For more information on Flight 93 National Memorial visit www.nps.gov/flni.