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FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL 

MISSION STATEMENT 

“A common field one day. A field of honor forever.”1

May all who visit this place remember the collective acts of courage and 

sacrifice of the passengers and crew, revere this hallowed ground as the final 

resting place of those heroes, and reflect on the power of individuals who choose 

to make a difference. 

Origins 

The purpose of this document is to lay the foundation for the planning and 

development of a national memorial at the place where United Airlines Flight 93 

crashed on September 11, 2001, in Somerset County, southwestern 

Pennsylvania. Congress authorized the creation of the Flight 93 National 

Memorial to commemorate the actions of the passengers and crew who 

“courageously gave their lives, thereby thwarting a planned attack on the 

Nation’s Capital.” 

This document has been developed through the collaborative efforts of 

four partner organizations: 
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• Families of Flight 93, a private non-profit organization established to help 

develop and sustain a permanent memorial to the passengers and crew of 

Flight 93 

• Flight 93 Memorial Task Force, an 80-member grassroots organization 

comprised of family members, community residents, first responders, 

educators, and other local, regional, and national participants 

• Flight 93 Advisory Commission, a federally appointed body charged with 

making recommendations for the planning, design, construction, and 

management of the memorial to the Secretary of the Interior and 

Congress 

• National Park Service, long-term steward of the memorial 

 

The founding vision embodied in this document provides a clear direction 

for the design of the national memorial and future development and management 

decisions. 

CONTEXT

 The events of September 11, 2001, are forever etched into the hearts and 

souls of the family members and loved ones of those who died, the nation, and 

the world. The United States experienced the worst incident of terrorism in its 

history. The coordinated hijacking of four commercial airliners, the planned attack 

on symbolic targets, and the murder of innocent people were all tragic and 
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shocking events. The extraordinary responses of individuals to the challenges 

they faced are inspiring and worthy of remembrance. 

 On that day, two commercial airliners, American Airlines Flight 11 carrying 

92 passengers and crew, and United Airlines Flight 175 carrying 65 passengers 

and crew, were hijacked shortly after departure from Boston. Both planes were 

deliberately flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York 

City, resulting in the loss of all on board and 2,635 occupants of the World Trade 

Center, rescue workers, and innocent bystanders. A third plane, American 

Airlines Flight 77, was hijacked after departure from Washington, D.C., and flown 

into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, taking the lives of 64 passengers and 

crew and 125 in the building. 

 The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, was delayed in its scheduled 

departure from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California. About 45 

minutes into the flight, as the Boeing 757 was nearing Cleveland, Ohio, it 

abruptly changed course, heading southeast in the direction of Washington, D.C. 

Shortly before 10 a.m., it was observed flying low and erratically over 

southwestern Pennsylvania. Just after 10 a.m., the plane crashed at a cruising 

speed estimated at more than 500 miles per hour into a reclaimed strip mine at 

the edge of a wooded area in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Emergency 

responders, arriving at the scene minutes after the crash, found no survivors. All 

33 passengers, 7 crew members, and the 4 hijackers were killed. 

 In the hours and days that followed, an astounding story about what 

happened on board Flight 93 was revealed. When the terrorists took over the 
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plane, passengers and crew were able to telephone family members, friends, 

and emergency dispatchers to report the hijacking. Through these conversations, 

those on board Flight 93 learned about the horrific events unfolding at the World 

Trade Center and at the Pentagon. 

As their phone conversations revealed, the passengers and crew of Flight 

93 realized that their plane was also part of the planned attack. This realization 

led to a collective decision by the passengers and crew to stop the terrorists from 

achieving their goal. The story of the heroic actions of the passengers and crew 

of Flight 93 later was confirmed when the contents of the many telephone 

conversations and the cockpit voice recorder were reviewed. Although the details 

of what took place on board the flight will never be fully known, all 40 of the 

passengers and crew are recognized as heroes. 

 While the nation mourned the loss of life on that day, the selfless act of the 

passengers and crew of Flight 93 evoked respect and appreciation from people 

around the world. In the days and weeks following the tragedy, the nation 

experienced a rekindled sense of unity, strength, and resolve. Actions of the 

terrorists, intended to divide and demoralize the nation, had the opposite effect, 

and the crash of Flight 93 became a symbol of courage in the face of adversity 

and death. The site of the crash became a place of impromptu gathering where 

the public memorialized and commemorated these events while they struggled to 

comprehend their meaning. 

Following an exhaustive field investigation and recovery effort during the 

autumn of 2001, the crash site was reclaimed. The crater was backfilled, and the 
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area was planted with grass and wildflowers. The site was also fenced, and 

security was posted. At the same time, county and regional leaders, members of 

the local community, the families of the passengers and crew of Flight 93, and 

representatives from the National Park Service began to realize the importance 

of the crash site as a place of honor and of the need to preserve and protect it. 

Within six months of the tragic event, federal legislation was introduced to create 

a national memorial. Congress acted quickly to approve legislation creating the 

Flight 93 National Memorial. 

PURPOSE 

On September 24, 2002, the Flight 93 National Memorial Act (P.L. 107-

226) was passed by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush, 

creating the Flight 93 National Memorial. The following statements represent 

shared understandings about the purposes for creating the memorial: 

• Honor the passengers and crew members of Flight 93 who courageously 

gave their lives, thereby thwarting a planned attack on Washington, D.C.

• Allow the public to visit the site and express their feelings about the event 

and the passengers and crew of Flight 93 

• Respect the rural landscape and preserve the solemn and tranquil setting 

of the crash site of Flight 93 
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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SITE 

The events of September 11 and the dramatic story of Flight 93 are 

forever linked to this peaceful field. The following statements summarize why this 

place is so important that is has been established as a national memorial: 

• The crash site is the final resting place of the passengers and crew of 

Flight 93. 

• The heroic actions of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 are part of the 

transformational events of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the 

United States. 

INTERPRETIVE THEMES 

The Flight 93 National Memorial will be a place for individuals to learn 

about the events of September 11 and to find meaning and inspiration in their 

experience. In the future, interpretive media and programs will be developed 

around the key stories and ideas that illustrate the significance of the memorial 

and help to place the memorial in its national and international contexts. The 

primary interpretive themes for the Flight 93 National Memorial are: 

• Flight 93 was the only hijacked plane on September 11 that failed to hit its 

intended target. The crash of Flight 93, only 20 minutes by air from 

Washington, D.C., was the direct result of the actions of the passengers 
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and crew who gave their lives to prevent a larger disaster at the center of 

American government. 

• The events of September 11, 2001, revealed the extraordinary bravery of 

ordinary men and women who, when challenged, responded with 

spontaneous leadership and collective acts of courage, sacrifice, and 

heroism. 

• The first responders, the community, and those individuals and 

organizations that provided assistance in the recovery and investigation 

demonstrated compassion and exemplary service. 

• Knowledge of the events surrounding September 11 contributes to a 

realization of the impact of intolerance, hatred, and violence. 

• The public reaction to the events of September 11, including the actions of 

the passengers and crew of Flight 93, led to a strong sense of pride and 

patriotism and an affirmation of the value of human life. 

THE MISSION 

The mission of the Flight 93 National Memorial is to 

• honor the heroism, courage, and enduring sacrifice of the passengers and 

crew of Flight 93; 

• revere this hallowed ground as the final resting place of heroes who 

sacrificed their lives so that others would be spared; 

• remember and commemorate the events of September 11, 2001; 
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• celebrate the lives of the passengers and crew of Flight 93; 

• express the appreciation of a grateful nation forever changed by the 

events of September 11; 

• educate visitors about the context of the events of September 11; 

• offer a place of comfort, hope, and inspiration.

 

1 These are the words of Captain Stephen Ruda, Los Angeles City Fire Department, describing 

the Flight 93 crash site. Ruda wrote the words on a quilted wall hanging sent to the memorial as a 

tribute to the passengers and crew of Flight 93.