News Release

9/11 Author Mitchell Zuckoff to Speak at September 11 Observance at Flight 93 National Memorial

Visitors pay their respects to the 40 passengers and crew members at the Wall of Names.

NPS photo

News Release Date: August 20, 2019

Contact: Katherine Cordek, 814-233-8764

Contact: Stephanie Loeb, 202-339-1509

SHANKSVILLE, PA – Flight 93 National Memorial will honor the 40 passengers and crew members of Flight 93 on the 18th anniversary of September 11, 2001 attack. This year's observance will be highlighted by speaker Mitchell Zuckoff, author of the newly released Fall and Rise: The Story of 9/11.

The annual observance will begin at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday, September 11, on the Memorial Plaza. At 10:03 a.m. – the moment Flight 93 crashed – the names of the passengers and crew members will be read, the Bells of Remembrance will be rung in their memory, and a wreath will be placed at the Wall of Names. Gordon Felt, president of the Families of Flight 93 said: “We will gather, once again, to reflect and remember the heroes of Flight 93 whose actions that day continue to amaze and inspire us all."

Boston University journalism professor Mitchell Zuckoff, will deliver remarks. In 2001, Zuckoff covered the September 11 attack for the Boston Globe and authored eight nonfiction books, including two that focus on September 11. Additional remarks will be made by family member Gordon Felt, president of the Families of Flight 93 . Music will be provided by Pittsburgh’s River City Brass Band. The public is invited and encouraged to attend the hour-long annual observance. Limited seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Entrance to the memorial will close at sunset on Tuesday, September 10 and will reopen at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 11. 

All visitors on the morning of September 11 will park in designated lots and shuttle to and from the event. Accessible buses are available to accommodate wheelchairs. Shuttles will begin running at 7:15 a.m.

Visitors are encouraged to arrive early to allow ample time for the shuttle ride. Signage and staff will direct visitors to parking areas. No backpacks are permitted.  

The event will be held rain or shine. Please wear appropriate footwear, the ceremony will take place in a field and requires walking on mown grass and uneven ground. In the event of severe weather, elements of the program are subject to change. For more information on this year’s observance, including weather updates, please visit www.nps.gov/FLNI.

About Flight 93 National Memorial On Sept. 24, 2002, Congress passed the Flight 93 National Memorial Act. The Act created a new national park unit to commemorate the passengers and crew of Flight 93 who, on September 11, 2001, courageously gave their lives thereby thwarting a planned attack on our nation's capital. The memorial is outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed with the loss of its 40 passengers and crew members. For more information about Flight 93 National Memorial, please visit www.nps.gov/flni.