Vice President Kamala Harris, former President George W. Bush and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to Attend September 11 Observance at Flight 93 National Memorial

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News Release Date: September 7, 2021

Contact: FLNI_Press@nps.gov

Vice President Kamala Harris, former President George W. Bush and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will attend the 20th annual September 11 observance at Flight 93 National Memorial. With public health in mind, the observance will be limited to family members and invited guests and livestreamed on the park’s Facebook page. Park grounds will reopen to the public following the conclusion of the ceremony. 

The ceremony will begin on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 9:45 a.m. EDT at the Memorial Plaza. At 10:03 a.m., the moment Flight 93 crashed, the names of the passengers and crew members will be read with the ringing of the Bells of Remembrance.   

The 20th observance will also include remarks from:  

• Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf  
• 43rd President George W. Bush  
• U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland   
• Captain David Kurtz, Commanding Officer, USS Somerset  
• Gordon Felt, brother of passenger Edward Porter Felt   
• Music provided by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band  

While the 20th annual observance is limited to invited guests, there are a number of programs open to the public throughout the week.

• On September 9, 10 and 12, the “Witness to History” speaker series will bring together military and civilian air response officials, creators of the memorial, and first responders to Flight 93 to recount their experiences. The full schedule of speakers and times is available on the Flight 93 National Memorial website.  
• On Friday, Sept. 10 the Luminaria Ceremony will take place at 7:30 p.m. Forty candle lanterns will be placed at the Wall of Names, serving as a moving tribute to the passengers and crew members of Flight 93. The luminaria, hosted by the Friends of Flight 93, will be open to the public and feature music by the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra.  
• The memorial will close after the Luminaria Ceremony on Friday evening and reopen to the public on Saturday, Sept. 11, following the morning ceremony. At 3 p.m. on Saturday, the public is invited to attend an hour-long Memorial Tribute Concert performed by the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra at the Memorial Plaza.   
• The Visitor Center will remain open until 7 p.m. on Sept. 10 and 11. In accordance with US Public Health Service guidance, during peak hours the Visitor Center may delay entry to limit crowding and promote physical distancing.   

To best protect our staff and visitors, masks are required in all Flight 93 National Memorial buildings, regardless of vaccination status. Additionally, masks must be worn in outdoor spaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained.  

Members of the media are encouraged to take advantage of the livestream or request credentials (required for the Observance Ceremony) to attend in person.