Ridge, Schweiker return to Shanksville for tower dedication

Sept. 09--Tom Ridge first viewed the crash scene of United Airlines Flight 93 from a helicopter as it circled the Somerset County field late in the morning on Sept. 11, 2001.

On Sunday, he will stand with the families of the 40 passengers and crew members who perished that day to dedicate the latest feature in a permanent reminder of their courage and sacrifice -- Flight 93 National Memorial's Tower of Voices.

Ridge was Pennsylvania's governor in 2001 before President George W. Bush named him the nation's first director of homeland security following the events of 9/11. The terrorist attacks also saw planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., claiming nearly 3,000 lives.

"I remember that day so vividly," Ridge said in an interview Friday. "And then you fast-forward 17 years to this memorial and tower built in tribute to those 40 heroes and heroines.

"To see this magnificent tribute and remembrance of the heroism and sacrifice -- I am really looking forward to that moment.

"The design of this park is exceptionally powerful, and the crown jewel of it all is this tower of chimes in this beautiful valley, with the breeze to carry the sound across the hills. It's our version of the eternal flame."

Another former Pennsylvania governor, Mark Schweiker, is one of 40 individuals invited to help sound the 93-foot-tall tower's chimes for the first time Sunday. Schweiker was lieutenant governor under Ridge, and ascended to the state's top office when Ridge moved to Washington.

Schweiker, who teaches courses in homeland security at Rider University in New Jersey, said the tower "is meant to be a storyteller for succeeding generations" -- joining the site's Memorial Plaza and Visitor Center in reminding visitors of the significance of an event now 17 years in the past.

"Graduate students now have some limited understanding of the events of 9/11," Schweiker said. "For people of a certain age, there is no firsthand knowledge of that day."

'Voice of their loved ones'

Schweiker called the tower the "largest musical instrument in the world."

For the families of those who perished, he said the chimes will serve as "the voice of their loved ones."

Flight 93 National Memorial is a $62 million project supported by donations from corporations, individuals and foundations.

Partner organizations include the National Park Service/National Park Foundation, Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial, Families of Flight 93 and the Flight 93 Federal Advisory Commission.

Ridge has served as honorary co-chairman for the project, working with retired Army Gen. Tommy Franks, who led coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq after 9/11.

Chris T. Sullivan, chairman of the board for Outback Steakhouse, led the corporate giving portion of the Flight 93 campaign.

Architect Paul Murdoch's design -- called "Circle of Embrace" -- was chosen in a two-year process that began on Sept. 11, 2004. The judging attracted 1,011 design submissions from 48 states and countries.

The NPS estimates that 300,000 people come to the park annually.

'Chimes softly ringing out'

Ridge will be the keynote speaker at Sunday's dedication ceremony. Schweiker will be among the speakers Tuesday at the Sept. 11 anniversary ceremony, which will feature the reading of the 40 names and the ringing of the Bells of Remembrance.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are scheduled to visit the site on Tuesday, with the president to offer remarks.

Schweiker recalled that passengers of Flight 93 were credited with charging the cockpit to confront the terrorists, an act that brought the plane down short of its likely intended target -- the U.S. Capitol or the White House.

"Aside from their status as heroes, I hope to emphasize the purity of their efforts and their sacrifice," Schweiker said. "I think there are observers around the world and even here in America who don't grasp the the magnitude of the passengers' decision to take on the terrorists in the skies above Pennsylvania. I am continually struck by the purity of that decision."

Ridge said while the chimes serve as a reminder to the world of the courage and sacrifice of the 9/11 victims, Sunday's dedication will be especially powerful for those who know the story best.

"Of course this remains an emotional experience for the families and friends who lost loved ones," he said. "But now, with those chimes softly ringing out 24 hours a day, seven days a week as a tribute to their fallen family members, I hope they feel some comfort."

Ridge added: "The music will be provided by these chimes. But the lyrics were written by the heroes and heroines of Flight 93."

Chip Minemyer is the editor of The Tribune-Democrat and TribDem.com, and CNHI regional editor for Pennsylvania, Maryland and Ohio. He can be reached at 814-532-5091. Follow him on Twitter @MinemyerChip.

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