Published: October 28, 2009 12:01 am      

Breaking sacred ground: Flight 93 memorial about to enter new phase

After years of fundraising and acquiring land, plans are in place for groundbreaking for the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville.

The memorial will overlook the spot where United Flight 93 plunged into the remote Somerset County field on Sept. 11, 2001, as passengers and crew members fought to resist a terrorist attack on the nation’s capital.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will lead a groundbreaking ceremony at noon Nov. 7.

Salazar will be joined by elected officials including Gov. Ed Rendell, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, and U.S. Reps. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, and Bill Shuster, R-Hollidaysburg.

In addition, members of the Families of Flight 93, officials representing the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, the Flight 93 Advisory Commission and the Flight 93 Memorial Task Force, as well as others – including first responders – will participate.

Relatives of those who perished that day are among those who will take shovels to symbolically signify the start of a new planning and construction phase for the memorial.

The groundbreaking is a key milestone in the creation of the permanent memorial, organizers said.

“This groundbreaking will mark a critical step in fulfilling the sacred promise we made to build an inspiring permanent Flight 93 National Memorial that honors our loved ones and will educate generations about their heroic actions,” said Gordon Felt, president of Families of Flight 93.

“We are indebted to Secretary Salazar, our elected officials and our other memorial partners for their commitment to making this milestone a reality.”

John Reynolds, chairman of Flight 93 Advisory Commission, said the ceremony will give momentum to the project.

Flight 93 Memorial Task Force Co-Chairman Jerry Spangler added: “Achieving this milestone will reflect the steady progress that we have made and must keep making so that we meet the goal of dedicating the Flight 93 National Memorial by Sept. 11, 2011.”

Neil Mulholland, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation, expressed appreciation for many who worked for the project.

“This event would not be possible without the hard work and determination of all our Flight 93 Memorial partners,” he said.