UPDATED: Vice President Joe Biden to visit Tuesday.
Following last year’s high-profile 10th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks, this year will be a bit more low-key at the Flight 93 site. Building of a memorial is still in progress at the rural Somerset County site, which will host a weekend full of events, including a discussion with law enforcement officials who were at the scene.
“We’ll have members of the media talking about what it was like reporting on the crash of Flight 93, we’ll have a panel talking about children and the effects of September 11 on them, and also people who were in the capital that day, talking about what it was like to be on the other end of where flight 93 was likely headed,” said Jeff Reinbold, superintendent of the Flight 93 National Memorial.
On Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will visit the site. He’ll take a private tour of the memorial and talk briefly with reporters.
Several features of the memorial are complete, including a wall of names, a granite walkway and a 17 ton boulder marking the spot where Flight 93 crashed. A visitor’s center, memorial grove and approach road are in progress and fundraising is still underway for the final phase, which will include a tower with 40 wind chimes and a return road. That final phase is still $5 million short in fundraising, but those involved in planning are optimistic it will be finished.
“We’re at a place where by 2016 we will finish the Tower of Voices and the return road and that will complete all aspects and elements of the original design, and that will be the 15th anniversary of September 11th,” said Patrick White, president of Families of Flight 93.
Vice President Joe Biden will visit the memorial Tuesday, according to the National Park Service. He will speak at 9:30am. Bothn the National Park Service and th White House advised visitors to get to the memorial at least two hours before the speech is to begin due to the need for high security.
Saturday September 8, 2012
9 am - Park opens
11:00 am - 4 pm - Interpretive Programs - Park Rangers/Volunteers (MP) - on the hour
11:30 am - 4:30 pm - Tribute Events (MP) - on the half hour
1:00 - 2:00 pm - "Learning Center Without Walls" Program (VC)
9/11 and the Next Generation
Panelists will explore how childern experienced
September 11 and how art allowed them to express their feelings.
3:00 - 4:00 pm - "Learning Center Without Walls" Program (VC)
Dispatches from Shanksville: Journalists Remember Flight 93
Television, newspaper, and radio journalists will discuss their
experiences in writing the first drafts of history in the days, weeks,
and months following September 11, 2001.
9:00 pm - Last entry to the park
9:30 pm - Park closes
Sunday September 9, 2012
9 am - Park opens
11:00 am - 4 pm - Interpretive Programs - Park Rangers/Volunteers (MP) - on the hour
11:30 am - 4:30 pm - Tribute Events (MP) - on the half hour
1:00 - 2:00 pm - "Learning Center Without Walls" Program (VC)
The Criminal Investigation: Searching for Evidence at the Flight 93
Crash Site - Members of the FBI investgation and recovery teams
will describe their work at the crash site and the importance of what
was recovered.
3:00 - 4:00 pm - "Learning Center Without Walls" Program (VC)
A Grateful Nation: Stories from the U.S. Capitol - Flight 93 was less
than 20 minutes from the nation's capital when the passengers and
crew forced it to crash. Panelists will describe their experiences
from that day in the Capitol.
9:00 pm - Last entry to the park
9:30 pm - Park closes
Monday September 10, 2012
9 am - Park opens
7:30 - 9:15 pm - Luminaria - Candle Lanterns (MP)
9 pm - Last entry to the park
9:30 pm - Park closes
Tuesday September 11, 2012
7:00 am - Park opens
9:45 - 10:30 am - September 11 Observance (MP)
The open air service will include a reading of the names
of the Flight 93 passengers and crew, ringing of the Bells
of Remembrance, a wreathing laying, and brief remarks.
12:00 - 4 pm - Interpretive Programs - Park Rangers/Volunteers(MP) - on the hour
12:30 - 5:30 pm - Tribute Events (MP) - on the half hour
9:00 pm - Last entry to the park
9:30 pm - Park closes