The older residents of Shanksville, Pa. remember the morning of September 11, 2001 with bell clear alacrity. They speak of the roar of a Boeing 757-222 as it passed overhead at an altitude of a few hundred feet and sensed a tragedy was unfolding. Soon the roar was silenced by the sound of a tremendous impact followed by billowing black smoke arising from the site where 40 passengers and crew were killed instantly at the hands of al-Qaeda terrorists. Sharon, Tazzy and I spent an afternoon at the National Park memorializing this horrid event located in the quiet Pennsylvania countryside. It left an impression that will be with us until the end of our time.
The memorial site is beautiful in it’s simplicity, with a walking tour that sets out the timeline and circumstances of this event. The photos and actual artifacts recovered from an impact with the ground at some 500 MPH will stop you in your tracks as you relive the event in chronological order. The largest piece of the airplane recovered was about 5’ in length and width and the largest human remain was a portion of a human backbone evident at the precise point of impact. In a nano-second the hijackers were on their way to hell and the passengers to their reward guaranteed in our Christian faith. The passengers knew that death was a near certainty and actual voice recordings of several passenger’s last conversation with love ones, via cell phones, was heart rending. This flight began at 8:42 AM and ended shortly after 10:00 AM when the hijackers were attacked by passengers led by Mr. Todd Beamer, determined to have a say in their demise, one way or another.
We must never forget that a big part of the world as we know it hates America. They hate our freedoms, our wealth and our power. This park reminds you of the price we pay as a result of this hatred. Most of us are familiar with the circumstances surrounding this act of cowardice, but to really appreciate it, you must see this memorial. We spoke little for the first hour or so after leaving, each deep in our own thoughts as we placed ourselves in that airplane on this day. I am going to let the photos tell the story. Please don’t pass on the opportunity to visit this park and see for yourself what happens when courage meets cowardice.
A final thought. A bullet to the head of Osama Bin Laden by a Navy Seal was the easy way out for this deranged man. His terror was over in a matter of a few seconds. The people lived with the thought of dying in a plane crash for at least 30 minutes, desperately contacting loved ones to tell them good-bye. Their courage is an example for all of us and a reminder that Americans are an example for the rest of the world to emulate. Good bless them and their families.
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