A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

Flight 93 National Memorial to hold shortened service on Sept. 11 in response to COVID-19 pandemic

The Flight 93 National Memorial is set to continue its annual commemoration on Sept. 11, honoring those who died in the 2001 crash in Somerset County of a hijacked jetliner, although things will look a little different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A shortened remembrance for the passengers and crew members will take place at the memorial on Sept. 11, the 19th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. The previously annual 90-minute ceremony will now be 20 minutes to discourage large crowds. The event will begin at 9:45 a.m. at the Memorial Plaza in Stoneycreek Township.

“While this year will certainly be different than in previous years, we remain committed to honoring the sacrifice of the 40 heroes,” said Stephanie M. Clark, Flight 93 National Memorial superintendent.

The ceremony will be abbreviated to a 20-minute reading of each passenger and crew member aboard Flight 93 by Ms. Clark and a ringing of the Bells of Remembrance at 10:03 a.m. to observe the time Flight 93 crashed. A keynote speaker and musical talent have been removed from this year’s commemoration.

Katherine Cordek, public information officer for the memorial, said the administrative team made the decision to focus on the reading for this year’s event because it is

the “most important” part of the annual service.

“It’s not going to be anything other than beautiful. It’s just going to be a lot shorter,” Ms. Cordek said.

Visitors are requested to social distance and follow state and federal safety guidelines. Masks will not be required at the service, though Ms. Cordek said they are “strongly recommended.”

Ms. Cordek encourages visitors to arrive early due to limited parking near the where the memorial service will be held. She said some parking lots may be a long walk to and from the event as shuttle transportation service will be unavailable.

To accommodate for visitation difficulties, the commemoration will be virtually streamed via EarthCam. Ms. Cordek said a link to the free livestream will be available on Flight 93’s website and social media closer to the event.

Increased access to the visitor center from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. will be available to accommodate for an abbreviated service. In past years, Ms. Cordek said visitation to the Flight 93 National Memorial peaks at midafternoon; she asks all visitors to be mindful of that when planning a trip on Sept. 11.

Ahead of the event, the memorial will be running several social media campaigns to educate the public on the historic day and this year’s event during the pandemic. Ms. Cordek said a series called “Their Story Lives Here” is currently available to share the stories of the Flight 93 passengers and crew members.

In all, four commercial jetliners were hijacked on 9/11 in coordinated terror plots that left nearly 3,000 people dead. Two planes crashed into and destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and a fourth plane crashed into the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C. The action of passengers and crew aboard Flight 93 thwarted an attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“It’s not going to be anything other than beautiful. It’s just going to be a lot shorter.”

— Katherine Cordek, public information officer, Flight 93 National Memorial