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Flight 93 Memorial to Show Congressional Gold Medal on Anniversary

One of three Congressional Gold Medals struck in honor of Americans killed on 9/11 will be on public display at the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville on Sept. 11.

In observance of the 13th anniversary of the attacks, the memorial will hold its annual ceremony, where visitors can get a rare glimpse of the highest honor that Congress can bestow.

The other medals will be displayed at memorials in New York City and Washington, D.C.

“Congress taking the time and the opportunity to recognize not only the Flight 93 passengers and crew, but they’ll also be presenting gold medals to the Pentagon site and the World Trade Center site, is very important and especially on such a timely date,” said Mike Litterst, spokesman for the National Park Service.

Congress will officially present the medal to memorial officials at a private ceremony in the U.S. Capitol building on Sept. 10. It will be on display at the Flight 93 Memorial through the following weekend, and will be permanently displayed once the memorial’s new visitor’s center opens in 2015. 

On 9/11, passengers aboard Flight 93 heroically fought hijackers and forced them to crash the plane into a field in Shanksville.

“The terrorists’ destination for that flight was the U.S. Capitol,” Litterst said. “Were it not for the timely heroism of those passengers and crew, the plane very likely could have found its target.”

The annual ceremony will start at 9:45 a.m. Former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert will give remarks. At 10:03 a.m., the moment when Flight 93 crashed, the names of the 40 passengers and crew members will be read and a bell will be rung in their memory. The event is open to the public.