Vice President and Secretary of the Interior to Speak at Flight 93 National Memorial September 11 Observance Ceremonies

Date: September 8, 2017
Contact: Stephanie Loeb, 215-268-2614

SHANKSVILLE, Pa. – Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Secretary of the Interior and Global War on Terror veteran Ryan Zinke will deliver remarks at the September 11 Observance and Tower of Voices “Soundbreaking,” respectively.

 

The ceremonies on September 10 and 11 honor the 40 passengers and crew members of United Flight 93 that was hijacked during the 9/11 attacks. All of the events are open to the public.

 

Tower of Voices Soundbreaking

In partnership with the Families and Friends of Flight 93 and the National Park Foundation, Flight 93 National Memorial will break ground (and sound) for the Tower of Voices. The “Soundbreaking” of the Tower of Voices, will initiate the final phase of major construction of the memorial’s original design. The ceremony will begin at 3:30 pm on Sunday, September 10. Once constructed, the Tower of Voices will contain 40 uniquely pitched chimes, a symbolic representation of the eternal voices of the passengers and crew members of Flight 93. The Soundbreaking ceremony will include:

 

• John Reynolds, Former Federal Advisory Commission Chair, Flight 93 National Memorial

• Greg Walker, Stonycreek Township Supervisor

• Will Shafroth, President and CEO, National Park Foundation

• Patrick White, President, Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial

• Emily Root Schenkel, Cousin of Lorraine G. Bay and Treasurer, Families of Flight 93

• U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke

• Ceremonial Shovel Turning

• Paul Murdoch, Architect, Flight 93 National Memorial

• Audio Airing of Chime Simulation

 

16th Anniversary Observance

The annual September 11 Observance will begin at 9:45 am on Monday, September 11 at the visitor center. At 10:03 am –the moment Flight 93 crashed –the names of the passengers and crew members will be read and Bells of Remembrance will be rung in their memory. Participants include:
 

• U.S. Air Force Band, Celtic Aire

• Reverend Paul Britton, Families of Flight 93

• Gordon Felt, President of Families of Flight 93

• Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf

• U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke

• Vice President Mike Pence

 

In addition to these events, Flight 93 National Memorial’s annual Luminaria will take place at 7:30 pm the evening of September 10 at the Memorial Plaza.

 

More information is available at nps.gov/flni.

 

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About Flight 93 National Memorial

On September 24, 2002, Congress passed the Flight 93 National Memorial Act. The Act created a new national park unit to commemorate the passengers and crew of Flight 93 who, on September 11, 2001, courageously gave their lives thereby thwarting a planned attack on our nation's capital. The memorial is outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed with the loss of its 40 passengers and crew. For more information about the Flight 93 National Memorial, please visit www.nps.gov/flni.