By Staff Daily American
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Dennis Hastert, who was Speaker on 9/11, will deliver remarks at the annual observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial.
This year’s commemoration will be highlighted by the first public display of the Congressional Gold Medal that will be presented to Flight 93 National Memorial by U.S House and Senate leaders in a private ceremony at the United States Capitol on September 10.
Enacted on December 23, 2011, the Fallen Heroes of 9/11 Act directed that a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award the United States Congress can bestow, be struck for each of the 9/11 sites to honor the men and women who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks. The Flight 93 National Memorial medal will be presented at the memorial for the first time during the September 11 observance and will remain on display through Sunday, September 14. This will be the only opportunity to view the medal until it goes on permanent display in the new Flight 93 National Memorial Visitor Center, scheduled to be dedicated in September 2015.
The September 11 Observance will begin at 9:45am on Thursday, September 11 at the Memorial Plaza. At 10:03am – the moment Flight 93 crashed – the names of the passengers and crew members will be read and Bells of Remembrance will be rung in their memory. Gordon Felt, president of the Families of Flight 93, will also speak during the ceremony.
The public is invited and encouraged to attend. No backpacks or large bags are permitted. There will be no seating available for the approximately 40-minute ceremony, although guests are permitted to bring their own chairs. The memorial will open at 8:00am; visitors are encouraged to arrive early to allow ample time for the shuttle ride from the parking area to the Memorial Plaza.
The Luminaria Program will take place on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 beginning at 7:30pm. An array of 40 candle lanterns will be placed at the Wall of Names, serving as a silent and moving tribute to the tragic loss of life of the passengers and crew on Flight 93 in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Family members will carry lanterns in this solemn procession.
