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American Morning
On 09-11, Passengers Aboard United Airlines Flight 93 Voted to Do Something Extraordinary
Aired March 11, 2002 - 07:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: On September 11th of last year, the passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which had been taken over by the same group of hijackers that occupied the other planes that eventually hit the Pentagon and the Trade Center, those passengers voted to do something extraordinary. When it became clear to them that they were all going to die, they voted to fight. Fight for control of the airplane. And they got in the way somehow from the hijackers.
The plane eventually crashed in Pennsylvania and everybody on board was killed. And while we don't know exactly what happened aboard Flight 93 that day and may never know, and while we don't know how many lives were saved and may never know that either -- there was speculation that time that flight may have been headed for the White House -- what we do know through the report coming here from CNN's David Mattingly is that the mission of the people of Shanksville, Pennsylvania has become one of sharing what we collectively know about the events of that day.
Here's David's report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They come from all over America and beyond, drawn by powerful emotions to this remote Pennsylvania field by the car and busloads. Many, just trying to come to grips with what used to seem unthinkable.
DONNA GLESSNER, SHANKSVILLE RESIDENT: First, disbelief that there could be this kind of hatred in the world. That there was this hatred that could cause an accident like this, and also disbelief that it would happen here.
MATTINGLY: When hijacked planes were finding their targets in New York and Washington, the passengers of United Flight 93 were fighting back --a struggle that ended with a devastating crash in these pastoral hills. In the months following, after the investigators and the cameras had gone, the county erected a temporary memorial overlooking the crash site. But in nearby Shanksville, the 240 residents of this no stop light town felt that wasn't enough.
GLESSNER: Everybody has a story. Everybody has a reason why they came to Shanksville, and they just want to tell you about it. MATTINGLY: So Donna Glessner decided someone needed to be here to listen. She rounded up volunteers -- Flight 93 ambassadors, they're called -- who now spend their weekends tending to crash site visitors regardless of weather.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the least that we can do. They gave their lives, so we can give our time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They gave their lives, so, you know, we can put up with the rain and the snow and the wind.
MATTINGLY: You'll find them telling and retelling the story of Flight 93 to the hundreds who drive the twisting county roads every weekend to reflect, to honor and connect to the 40 passengers and crew who lost their lives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Without these people telling you exactly what went on, how it happened with the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department, the EMSs, all the -- you know, everything that went on, it's -- you need these kind of people. It's amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a good thing that they started. They need to keep this so everybody can be reminded that we're just not as quite as safe as we all thought we were.
MATTINGLY: But what people take away from Shanksville is almost as remarkable as what they leave behind. Hundreds of names and sentiments fill poster boards. Offerings of candles, flowers and flags are just the beginning.
BARBARA BLACK, SOMMERSET HISTORICAL SOCIETY: These are Hawaiian paper leis. This guy here, we've named him Max.
MATTINGLY: Shanksville resident Barbara Black, curator of the county's historical center, picks up where the ambassadors leave off.
BLACK: This is a United Airlines flight attendant's uniform, and it was laid out at the memorial on the ground.
MATTINGLY: Anything anyone leaves at the memorial is collected and preserved.
BLACK: The story has not ended yet. We do not know what will happen from all of this.
MATTINGLY: One thing that will likely happen, a national memorial will eventually be erected with a permanent professional staff. Until then, the volunteers of Shanksville say they will be here.
GLESSNER: Shanksville is not a unique place, the people here are not uniquely wonderful and kind and giving. I think if the plane had crashed anywhere in rural America the reaction would have been very much the same.
(END VIDEOTAPE) MATTINGLY: And all the local efforts not lost on the family members of Flight 93. Today, in today's local paper, the "Daily American,", a full-page ad from the family to the people of Sommerset County thanking them for their efforts, calling their efforts truly heroic. Jack, back to you.
CAFFERTY: David, any sense yet of what those plans for some sort of permanent memorial might in the future?
MATTINGLY: A bill will be introduced in Congress, but actually what shape and form a permanent memorial will take is still completely up in the air. A lot of people have some ideas, but whatever they say, we'll be out here, we'll pay a great deal of respect to the sacrifice of the people on board Flight 93.
CAFFERTY: That was the plane where we got that great quote, "Let's role," from one of the passengers when they made the decision to take over the flight. David Mattingly, in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, thank you very much -- Paula.
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