Patriotic place to visit: Flight 93 crash site National Memorial, Shanksville, Somerset County, PA

September 11, 2001 was definitely "one of those days." Before that day, no one could have guessed how different things would seem from that day forward. The events of that day were significant and memorable. People will likely always remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard about the planes hitting the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon. Those events changed how people think and feel. Lives were lost. Families, friends and total strangers grieved and were angered.

While all this happened, as bad as it was, history could have been much different and things could have been so much worse if passengers on the famous Flight 93 hadn't decided to "run interference" on the plans of the terrorist hijackers.

It is this brave act of patriotism that is honored at the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA

Time has passed since that event, and now it is a moment in history like many other significant moments. But with the passing of time, the way people honor, remember and pay tribute to what happened has evolved.

Immediately after the crash, the site changed from being an ordinary field in southwestern Pennsylvania to being a crash site, then a search and rescue scene, then a search and recovery scene, then a crime scene with investigations. Once it was no longer a crime scene, the early stages of a memorial started to take shape. Soon a temporary memorial was established and people came to see the spot, pay tribute and remember. Nearly ten years later, one can still do all that, and also learn what happened thanks to a temporary visitor and information center. The site is now part of the National Park Service and remains open while a permanent memorial is under construction.

Even though time has passed and the site is different than it was in 2001, and even though the site is still evolving, it is easy to be transported back in time when you stand on that site and look out over the field.

While construction is going on, the first thing you see when you enter is a huge mound of dirt and construction equipment. There is a visitor center near the parking area, and in front of that is a walkway to a memorial set up; on the right, benches are spaced evenly the entire length of the walkway and the construction activity is visible on the left. The walkway leads down a slight hill and to the right. A metal fence is set up along the walkway and near where some information is posted. In this area one can see flags, flowers, rosaries and other items paying tribute to those who died at the site.

Read the information sign, stand on the walkway and turn around. In your mind's eye, you can see a jet coming from behind the hill at high speed and low altitude. Then you can see the plane crash, nearly parallel to the ground exploding with enough force to make a crater 25 feet deep. You can imagine rescue/recovery workers and investigators working.

If you have been there, or plan to go, think about your experience there. Is it an historic site like, say, a Civil War or Revolutionary War landmark? Is it like a cemetary? Is it like a museum?

For me, it was a combination of all these things and a place where I could slowly walk and quietly reflect. My reflection: When I read on the information sign that the plane was only about 20 minutes from hitting the White House, it's assumed target, I realized how close we came to things being even more different for Americans and other people. What happened was tragic enough and significantly changed lives. If the plane had hit the target, we can assume things would have been so much worse. It was somewhat overwhelming to think about that, especially out there, looking out over the field where the plane went down, and looking southeast towards Washington DC.

I felt many things all at once.  I felt the sense of history.  I felt patriotism as I walked around, pondered all that had happened here and talked with other visitors.  I felt the sense of sadness that these people lost there lives and were brave enough to even take a chance at saving other lives and changing the course of history for millions if not billions of people.  I felt and still feel that we were blessed by what happened there. 

The Flight 93 Memorial is about an hour and a half east of Pittsburgh, PA, about and 4 hours from Philadelphia, PA or  Washington DC. It is near (about 15 miles from) the Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange for Somerset. Roads in the area can be dangerous in snow and ice.