SHANKSVILLE, Pa. – On Sept. 11, 2001, the United States was attacked when four planes were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground.
Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives that day, but because of the actions of the 40 passengers and crew aboard Flight 93, that attack on the U.S. Capitol was thwarted.
Today, on the 18th anniversary, an observance was held at the Memorial Plaza in Shanksville, Pa. It’s the quarter-mile northern-boundary to the crash site, the final resting place of the passengers and crew.
A visit to the plaza culminates at the Wall of Names, which features 40 white-polished marble stone bearing the names of the passengers and crew members.
Located on the ridge above the Memorial Plaza at the crash site is the Flight Path Walkway and Overlook.  The walkway follows the flight path to the plane’s impact zone.
From the Overlook, visitors can look out over the flight path to the boulder that marks where Flight 93 crashed.
Last year on Sept. 9, the Flight 93 National Memorial hosted a dedication to complete the final phase of construction and complete the permanent memorial with the Tower of Voices.
The tower is a monumental, 93-foot tall musical instrument holding 40 wind chimes, representing the 40 passengers and crew members.
