Shanksville Flight 93 Memorial
A few weeks ago my daughters and I drove out to Shanksville, to see the Flight 93 memorial. It isn’t very far from where we live—less than an hour’s driving time along route 30. On 9/11, after having the images of the collapsing towers burned into my long-term memory, I drove to a meeting at a coffee shop that looks onto route 30. Emergency vehicles kept rushing past, heading east toward Shanksville. What a time of shock and disbelief! The student whom I met that morning told me, when she finally arrived, that there were reports of car bombs in Pittsburgh. People really were afraid to do anything. After the morning’s events, you could believe almost anything.
Although PA is a blue state, most of its counties are red. And route 30 takes you right into the heart of it. You pass over one ridge after another, and pass one bar & grill after another, past the Jennerstown Raceway, and beyond Mountaintop School of Taxidermy, and even past the exterminator in Stoytstown with an 8-foot preying mantis out front (the p-m is wearing a Steeler’s shirt ). Only two signs tell you which turns to take for Shanksville and the memorial, so if you aren’t careful you end up backing up, as I did, to correct for your inattention.
Right now the memorial consists mainly of a 10 x 30 foot frame holding green-vinyled chain link fencing. On it and next to it are the plaques, badges, and miscellany that people have left in the last few years. The main thing you notice first are the large number of caps, the kind that used to have seed company names on them. These are from all over the country and from all kinds of people, bearing names of VFDs and Veteran’s organizations and tourist destinations. Also, two granite monuments, the size of very large grave markers, memorialize the site on behalf of two different motorcycling organizations.
But it’s hard to miss the 7 or 8 foot cross standing next to the fence, and all around you find abundant Christian iconography—verses of scripture, prayers, images. More abundant than crosses, though, are angels. Apparently there’s some notion represented in the memorial that people turn into angels. At a right angle to the frame/fence are 40 lawn ornament –type tin angels, in red , white, and blue, with the names of the 40 passengers and crew who died on the flight. But there are lots of angels spread throughout the memorial area.
The actual site of the crash lies about a quarter mile away from the area where tokens of grief were left. There's something appropriate about that. The plane crashed into a field where the closest reminder of humanity abandoned mining equipment.
The outpouring of personal feelings represented at the site is very moving. It seems a shame that the official memorial will displace this, though I’m sureall of these tokens will all be put into a museum. Of course, my view is that once you put something into a museum you pretty much guarantee that it will be ignored.
Comments
I'm curious... are you planning to see the Flight 93 movie?
Thanks for posting yet another great travel story.
Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz | June 19, 2006 10:59 AM
I don't plan to see the movie. It's too painful for me.
Posted by: John | June 21, 2006 7:40 AM
Dr. Spurlock, I really enjoyed your post... I hope to make it out to the memorial some day before they tear it down for a new one.
I saw the film United 93 (they changed the title for its release) and I must say that it was hard to sit through. Very hard. But, if you are interested in what I thought of it, I reviewed it on the CR blog.
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/CollegeRepublicans/015880.html
Posted by: Mike Rubino | June 22, 2006 8:25 PM
That must be very moving. I think personal memorials like that are much more real than anything an architect can design.
I think it is amazing how events like that can grip people to the core, whether they lost a loved one or not. I hope both individuals and our society at large can heal and find solace.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, Dr. Spurlock.
Posted by: Evan | June 29, 2006 1:41 AM
We recently visited the site, 8/21/06, while visiting relatives in the area. As you look around the crash site, your mind tries to recreate, what exactly had occured that horrific day, in 2001. I've read eyewitness accounts on line, and some doubt will creep into your mindset, with regards to it all. It is very moving, brought me to tears. God bless the heroes of Flight 93, and their families.
Posted by: Joe Farley | August 23, 2006 5:12 PM
Flight 93 was shot down. The evidence is overwhelming.
http://911research.wtc7.net/materials/flight93/flight93.pdf
Posted by: Oleg | August 27, 2006 4:25 AM
The memorial is a very emotionally moving sight to see as I have found out today 9/11/06. A mix of emotions flooded the field on which we all sat as we viewed the site of the crash. There were very few dry eyes to be found, including my own as I recreated that day five years ago and tried to imagine what these heros and thier families were going through. Its a heartwrenching thought. Something that no human being should ever have to experience. I feel honored to have been able to have experience this true memorial of love and prayers before it is removed and replaced by one of concrete and steel. God Bless.
Posted by: Simon | September 11, 2006 8:49 PM