We Saw the Sign: SkyDog Visits the Flight 93 Memorial
Sometimes the best stops on a SkyDog adventure aren't planned. They aren't marked on the itinerary, entered into the GPS, or circled on a map. Sometimes, they're nothing more than a small highway sign that catches your eye at just the right moment. That's exactly how we ended up at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
It was June of 2022, and we were on our way home from the 2022 Vienna / Villagio rally in Arkansas. We were heading north on US-219 through southwestern Pennsylvania when I noticed a small highway sign: “Flight 93 Memorial Highway.” I turned to Terri in the passenger seat, “Find out where it is.” She knew immediately what I meant. Out came the phone, Google Maps opened, and a few seconds later she looked over at me, “We're 17 minutes away.”
That was all I needed to hear. We left the highway at the next exit and headed toward Shanksville. We really had no idea what to expect. We'd both knew the story of Flight 93, of course. Everyone who was old enough to remember September 11, 2001 remembers where they were that morning. But visiting the actual place where those events unfolded is something entirely different. We knew it would be emotional… We just didn't know how emotional.
A Day That Changed Everything
On the morning of September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 departed Newark International Airport bound for San Francisco. It never reached its destination. After the plane was hijacked as part of the terrorist attacks that morning, the passengers and crew learned enough about what was happening to understand that their aircraft was being used as a weapon. And they made a decision. They were going to fight back.
The passengers and crew of Flight 93 were ordinary people. They were traveling for business, vacation, family obligations and all the other reasons people board an airplane. They weren't soldiers. They weren't trained for what they were about to face. But when the moment came, they chose to act. Their efforts prevented Flight 93 from reaching its intended target.
At 10:03 a.m., the aircraft crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. All 40 passengers and crew members aboard Flight 93 were killed. But because of their courage, countless others may have been spared.
Arriving at Shanksville
As we made our way toward the memorial that June day, neither of us said much. There wasn't really much to say. This wasn't going to be a typical SkyDog sightseeing stop. There would be no “Hey, look at this!” or joking around for the camera. We were going somewhere where people had lost their lives. As we arrived, the significance of the place started to sink in. The memorial is quiet. Peaceful, even. And that's part of what makes it so powerful. There are no flashing lights or elaborate attractions. Instead, there is space. Space to walk, space to look, and most importantly, space to remember.
We walked through the memorial, learning more about the 40 people aboard Flight 93 and the events that unfolded that morning. And the more we learned, the more personal the story became. These weren't just 40 names. They were mothers and fathers. Sons and daughters. Husbands and wives. Friends and coworkers. They had lives. They had families waiting for them. They had places they were supposed to go. And then, in a matter of minutes, everything changed.
“Let's Roll”
One of the phrases forever associated with Flight 93 is Tod Beamer’s… “Let's roll.” It has become a symbol of the decision made by the passengers to take action rather than simply wait for whatever was coming next. There's something incredibly powerful about that. Faced with unimaginable circumstances, these ordinary people found the courage to do something extraordinary. Standing at the memorial, that part of the story hit differently than it ever had watching it on television or reading about it in a book. You could stand there and look across the landscape. You could touch the individual monuments. And know. This is where it happened.
A Stop We Didn't Plan
Our visit to the Flight 93 National Memorial wasn't on our 2022 travel itinerary. We weren't searching for it. We weren't even looking for another attraction that afternoon. We were simply driving home from a rally in Arkansas when a small highway sign caught my attention. Seventeen minutes later, we were standing in one of the most significant places in modern American history. That's one of the things we love about traveling in GR84RED. You can plan the route, make reservations, pick the campgrounds and map out the stops, but sometimes the road has other ideas. That little sign gave us one of those moments.
And while this certainly wasn't the kind of adventure where we left with funny stories and a bunch of laughs, it was a stop we'll never forget. We arrived not knowing exactly what to expect. We left with a much deeper appreciation for the courage of 40 people who, on an ordinary September morning, found themselves in an extraordinary situation and chose to fight back.
This Rock Marks the Crash Site
Their story is part of our history. Their courage is part of our history. And their sacrifice should never be forgotten.
Flight 93.
Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
September 11, 2001.
Never forget.
