Flight 93 Shanksville, PA Memorial to Honor America's first Victory on 9/11/2001

I think George W. Bush summed up the Nation's sentiments perfectly with this speech marking the 10 year Anniversary of America's first Victory in the War on Terror amidst the wildflowers in a field in Pennsylvania. Victory?? You are thinking...? Absolutely!This place and the memorial site destined here are sacred ground in our war on terror that began on that terrible day 10 years ago. In marking this place as site of great trajedy in American history; it too is the site of America's first clear victory in the war on terror. When Todd Beamer said "Let's Roll" ordinary American's joined in to be the Citizen Soldiers that we American's all have instinctively, historically,  and indelibly embedded in the DNA of our being. Todd and his fellow "soldiers" pushed forward to the cabin in their counterattack on Al Qaeda with the courage of Seal Team Six. They mirrored the sense of duty, sacrifice, and service of Ranger Pat Tillman, when they voted their course of action and began their difficult task in the first Counter-Offensive of the War on Terror in the back of American Airlines flight 93 over the bright skies of Pennsylvania. Their loved ones were able to tell them what happened in NY and the Pentagon, and they knew they must stop the terrorists at all costs. They fought for their own lives, and they fought for fellow citizens lives they would never know, but they died with the certain knowledge that their sacrifice was not in vain.   They accomplished their mission and secured their victory with the certain Lethality of Seal Team Six in another Victory in the War on Terror at a non-descript Pakistani compound that was to come nearly 10 years later. The Americans honored at this site today started the offensive in our War against terror and absolutely scored the first victory of the many to follow. God Bless them all. Pray for their loved ones left behind, pray for comfort, peace and healing to assuage the pain of their loss for all who hurt on this terrible day. A day when America changed forever; yet also triumphed in so many ways, none better exemplified than by the example of these Citizen Soldier's who gave their all on Flight 93 over Shanksville, PA 10 years ago.

 

In Memoriam to these Citizen Soldiers of this first great victory in the War On Terror.

There were two pilots, five flight attendants and 38 passengers onboard flight UA 93.

UNITED FLIGHT 93

Crew/Citizen Soldiers:

CAPTAIN JASON DAHL

FIRST OFFICER LEROY HOMER

FLIGHT ATTENDANT WANDA A. GREEN

FLIGHT ATTENDANT LORRAINE G. BAY

FLIGHT ATTENDANT CEECEE LYLES

FLIGHT ATTENDANT SANDRA W. BRADSHAW

FLIGHT ATTENDANT DEBORAH A. WELSH

Passengers/Citizen Soldiers:

CHRISTIAN ADAMS

TODD BEAMER

ALAN BEAVEN

MARK BINGHAM

THOMAS BURNETT

WILLIAM CASHMAN

GEORGINE CORRIGAN

JOSEPH DELUCA

PATRICK DRISCOLL

EDWARD FELT

COLLEEN FRASER

ANDREW GARCIA

JEREMY GLICK

LAUREN GRANDCOLAS

DONALD GREENE

LINDA GRONLUND

RICHARD GUADAGNO

TOSHIYA KUGE

WALESKA MARTINEZ

NICOLE MILLER

MARK ROTHENBERG

JOHN TALIGNANI

HONOR WAINIO

Michael R. Bednarz

Never Forget.....Ever.

Click these links for a wonderful tribute and reminder of what we must never forget.

This is another excellent tribute video to remember the surreal event that changed our world.

September 11th, 2001. We must sometimes relive the pain to keep our vigilance heightened to meet the continuing threat that this nation faces. I found this video to be a wonderful tribute and reminder of our national heroism, courage, and compassion in one of the darkest hours in our history. Keep the families of the victims and the rescuers that perished this day in your prayers and thoughts.

We must also pray for the brave guardians who have confronted this evil in the War on Terrorism we have asked them to protect us from. They have sacrificed so much for our safety and security. For those brave men and women in our Armed Forces and Intelligence services that we often times take for granted; we SALUTE you!

Take the opportunity to thank a soldier, sailor, marine or any other member of our armed forces for their service.

Not long I stopped for lunch at a small Teriyaki restaurant outside an entrance to Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington. I was in a big hurry and it was just off the freeway so I could just buzz in and buzz out. As I exited the freeway I noticed anti-war protesters that were on the overpass of the road that crossed over the other side of the freeway directly into a gated entrance to the base. They were there to protest the return of a Stryker Brigade from a years deployment on that very day and the departure of another brigade to take their place in the fight against terror on the Iraq front. There were only a few devoted anti-war stragglers left as most had gone away when the media coverage had. The freeway overpass was adorned with thousands of yellow ribbons each one no doubt carefully and personally tied by loved ones for their own trooper. Of course many yellow ribbons failed in their intended purpose, and many families would not be there to greet their loved ones who had fallen in the defense of freedom and protecting us from terrorism.

Here were these protesters I thought to myself, there in sight of those soldiers and families entering and exiting the post, soldiers that ironically are guarding the very freedom and protecting their right to protest them for the protesters fleeting moment of glory on the 6:00 evening news at their expense. I guess it was akin to the Nazi Party of America winning the right to parade through the community of Skokie, Illinois many decades ago with it's large population of holocaust survivors. As disgusted as we are by it, it is an example of what America really means.

I ate my lunch and watched one of the finest examples of America's bravest and best who was catching up on the past 12 months of life's events with his lovely young wife over their meal at the counter. Her eyes sparkled as she nuzzled her Black Beret donned Ranger. I walked up next to them at the counter to pay my bill as they were discussing what to order for desert. I quietly asked the owner at the register how much I owed, and then I asked him how much their meal was including the desert they had just ordered. He didn't really understand exactly what I was asking and my Korean just isn't as good as it could be. But I finally impressed upon him what I wanted to do, paid him and headed for the door. The young couple were oblivious to the world around them at the moment, so in love and so happy to be together after a year apart and I certainly didn't want to disturb their reunion.

Just as I got to the door the young trooper called out "Excuse me sir". I turned and he came over to me and said "Thank you very much for our meal sir." Evidently the owner told them I picked up their tab. To which I replied, "No, no, thank you, for all you do to protect this us and our country with your service. It is the least I can do for you and your wife also sacrificing so much for such an important mission. It is truly my honor and my pleasure."

This young soldier looked into my eyes with a confidence and self-assured strength and maturity belying his young age (I guessed he was in his early twenties) and we each saw the sincerity of gratitude through welling eyes. I extended my hand to shake his, (I wasn't about to dishonor him with a botched salute due to my lack of military experience) I turned to his wife and nodded as she beamed with such pride for her soldier and this public recognition and appreciation they had just received. I told them goodbye and as I walked to the car I was so hopeful that my small gesture of appreciation could offset and counter anything that they would see or had seen by those protesters dressed in black on that overpass today, or even beyond this day itself.

It was perhaps the best $20 bucks I have ever spent.


God Bless America and please remember to fly your flag today. We should probably fly it every day.

Michael R. Bednarz