they did it as citizens. this allowed us to survive as a country, still welcomed people from all over the world. ordinary people, given no time at all to decide, did the right thing. 2500 years to now, i he that people will still remember. [applause] since i am no longer in office, i told the secretary of the interior that i was aghast to find out that we still need to raise money to finish this.

we have already volunteered to do a bipartisan event in the washington. let's get this show on the road. thank you, and god bless you. [applause] >> president clinton, thank you. it feels a bit like the rabbit who wanders into the territory of the eagles to speak after these folks here. [laughter] the difference is the eagles are friends. they are friends of everyone of

us here. thank you. my name is john reynolds. i am the chairman for the federal advisory commission for the flight 93 memorial. it is my pleasure to represent an incredible partnership and its constant attention and action over the last decade. it is a partnership that is mostly invisible and unknown except to a few. it created a vision coming to fruition here as a result of diversity and commitment. it has created this national memorial, this national park. the partnership consists of five groups. they are the families of flight

93, a family members of the 40 heroes. flight 93 task force composed of family members, local people, and others. they were the original group of citizens who imagid and national memorial here, worked to consensus, and took action to convince congress and president bush to act. the flight 93 advisory commission is a directink between everybody else and the department of interior and the national park service. it is made up o15 people representing the local community, the families, corporate and national interests, and public historians. the national park foundation, at the national fund-raising arm of the partnership, and the national park service.

all before we the people to enjoy, to reflect upon, and to learn about our nation. these partners, however, barely reflect the many people you had given of theelves. they include the flight 93 ambassadors, local people the took it upon themselves to help visitors, starting within days of 91. [applause] first responders, the newly formed france of flight 93, all of you please -- the newly formed friends of flight 93. construction workers, government

employees, governors, and generals, cabinet members, senators, congressmen, presidents, and first ladies. 75,000 individuals who have donated their money to create this memorial and the over 1000 people who shared their vision in an international dign competition. this outpouring continues to be a truly american undertaking. no one asks, who are you? why are you here? how come you care? all that is asked is sincerity. the result stands before us today. the people have done this. they designed what we hear it --

what we see here today. their real genius, though, it is that they joined a chorus of our partnership of people to listen to it and to the land and to the sky and played back their souls to create this representation of thanks and spirit of the 40 who acted together, fought back,. gave their lives. the heroes live there by that solids down. they stand tall, solid, speaking to us. each name, each equal,

individuals, who knowingly chose and took action to avert an even greater american tragedy. they are the courage of free people everywhere. they are our past, they are our future. this place is the people's gift to america. a national park and a national memorial for as long as this nation shall live. it is my great and humble honor to present this memorial on behalf of the people of this wonderful partnership to all the people of the united states of america. will all of you please follow mr. jarvis? thank you very much. [applause]

[applause]

[america the beautiful] ♪

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[applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, i am honored to be standing here today. standing with two former presidents, president clinton, as he said, the passengers on flight 93 knew that our common humidity is what united us most. -- humanity is what united us

most. the same can be said for duke, mr. president. -- for you, mr. president. [applause] we thank you for what you have done and what you continue to do. let me also recognize the man responsible for bringing our country together at a time where it could have been torn apart, for making it clear that arica could not be broughtto our knees and helping us stand tall and strike back. president george w. bush. [applause] in the darkest hour of our generation, your voice and leadership, mr. president, help

us find our way. for that, you deserve our gratitude for a long, long time. [applause] i say now to the families to gather here today, i know what it is like to receive that call at othe blue. like a bolt out of the blue. i know this is a bittersweet moment for you. i want to tell you, you have a lot more courage than i have. you have a lot more courage just by being here today because i know how hard it is to relive these moments. it brings everything back in stark detail.

i also know, like your loved ones, you are literally an inspiration to the thousands of people across this country right now who are feeling of an tense tragedy that they a suffering. they know, looking at you, watching television today, that there is hope to be found after tragedy. the is a rebirth in the face of death. you are as courageous as your family members were and we owe you all for being here today just the act of being here. [applause] we are here today to remember and honor 40 men and women who

gave their lives so that others could live theirs. decent, honorable when it -- women and men that never imagined when they said goodbye to their children and walked through the door, they were doing it for the very last time. they did not know theorror that awaited them. but they confronted fear and terror with the courage that was summoned by the truest of american heroes. 40 names etched on each of those panels. more than that, their names are going to be etched forever in to american history. they joined an elite list of men and women with a long history,

filled with ordinary americans doing extraordinary things. men and women of undaunted courage, and a stubborn perseverance in the face of challenges. we teach our children that these are qualities ingrained into our national character as americans. i believe they are. they can make our national identity. i believe they will continue to define america because of the example of the men and women that we pay tribute to today. the passengers and crew of flight 93. none of them cast for what happened they did not go on that plane, they did not board that plane to fight a war. when they heard the news, when

the speller but what happened in new rk, they knew it -- when they found what happened in new york, they knew they were going through something more than a hijacking. they knew it was the opening shot in a new war. so they opted as citizen patriots had acted since the beginning of our country. they stood up and they stood their ground. "if they need to have a war, let it began here." as many times as i recall, and all of you who were not famly members, recl this incident me and again over the last 10 years. i never fail to be astonished by the courage they demonstrated. and so we stand where it began.

we think of our nation, we think of our history, we think of the future. we think of it because of them up with a confidence knowing that ordinary citizens will continue to stare down fear, overwhelmed evil, and bring forth hope when there seems to be none. it will continue to amaze us, it should not surprise us. that heroism is do we are. that correct lies deepest and beats loudest in the heart of this nation. we know that these 40 men and women were more than ordinary americans. they were more than the passengers and crew. they were already heroes.

they were already euros to you. they are the father -- they were already here rose -- heroes to you. they were the brother who lifted you up and theaughter who made you laugh and the son of a major proud. -- who nmade you proud. they are irreplaceable. no memorial, no words, no acts can fill the void that they left in your hearts. my prayer for you is that 10 years later, their memory is

able to bring a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. i hope you take comfort in knowing that a gratel nation understands that your loved one gave their lives in pursuit of the noblest of earthly goals, defending their country, defending their family, sacrificing their lives so we could live hours. -- ours. those of us washington that day, without knowing it for sure at the time, now know that we owed them a personal debt of gratitude. thatpirit lives on in you and

your country. it lives on in the cross of steel made from the trade center bemis -- beams. [applause] that cross is an enduring symbol of the spine that of this region and this country. it lives on in the new generation of warriors spread the 9/11 generation. inspired by what happened here, 2.8 million young americans have joined the united statesrmed forces. thousands giving their lives and tens of thousands to finish the

war that began here. "history, despe the pain, cannot be unlived. however, if faced with courage, need not be lived again." ladies and gentlemen, we are not here to unlive history. we're here to honor those whose courage made history and will inspire generations of americans to come. i say to you, even as we struggle with this tragedy, even as we grapple with a profound loss and devastating grief, we can look up at the heavens and think of those heroes and note -- know that there is not a

single tgedy that america cannot overcome. there is not a single moment of hardship that cnot be transformed into one of national strength. the seeds of doubt planted by those who wish to harm us will grow into flour and metals like this one, where we stand today. -- flowering meadows like this one, where we stand today. we know it with certainty because the history of the journey of this country at every stage of our history. my mother used to say, courage lies in every heart. she would go on to say, the expectation is, one day it will

be summoned. courage lies in every heart. one day, it will be summoned. on september 11, 2001, at 9:57, it was summoned. 40 incredible men and women answered the call. they gave their lives, and in doing so, gave this country a new life. we owe them. we owe you. a dead that can never repay. thank you -- a debt that we can never repay. may god bless you and may god protect our troops. [applause]

♪ spend all your time waiting for that second chance for a break that would make it ok there is always some reason to feel not good enough and it's hard at the end of the day need some distraction beautiful relief

find some peace tonight in the arms of the angels away from here from the start, -- this dark hotel room an the that you fear you are pulled from the wreckage of your lient -- silent rivalry

arms of the angels may you find your comfort here ♪ soired everywhere you turn vaulters -- vultures at your back keep on building have to make up for all that you lack

make no difference escape one last time it is easier to believe in this sweet madness this glious sadness knees mae to my in the arms of the angels far away from here from this dark cold hotel room that you fear you are pulled from the

wreckage of your silent you are in the arms of the angels may you find comfort here you're in the arms of the angels may you find some comfort here

♪ [applause] >> i would ask that you all remained outstanding -- he remained standing. -- you remain standing for the

benediction.

>> we bless you and we praise you, lord god. we ask your blessing upon this hallowed place. and all those whose memory we call to mind today by name. grant them eternal rest, and we of the living, thank you and

reward them for tir sacrifice. grant consolation and confidence in the future to their families and all to mourn their loss today. bless all of us who gathered here, give us a travel, -- safe travel. as he transformed this land with new growth, the and the commitment of those who want to finish this worked. bless their efforts and bring it to completion. bless our nation, lord, and all of the nations of the earth. that your people may flourish,

and that we might enjoy your presence now and forever. amen. >> as we bring this ceremony to close, i want to thank each and every one of you for being here today. for the family and friends who live with the losses every day, this memorial is a small expression of your nation's gratitude. those suits you love are our heroes. -- those who you love our are heroes. bear with us always to immortaliz in this quiet fields. you have my solemn vow that we will be here every day, every year, every future generation, to hon those heroes, your husband and wife, your mothers

and fathers, your sons and daughters, to tell their stories, to make sure that america and the world never forgets. we would ask that everyone remain in their space while our dignitaries walked down the front steps. for the families, the memorial wall is yours for the nexhalf- hour. yours alone. thank you for coming. [applause]

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[captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] [captioning performed by national captioning institute]

>> and next, and 9/11 remembrances with tom daschle. after that, another chance to see the dedication ceremony for the flight 93 memorial. >> tomorrow, the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. with live coverage from each of the memorial sites. at 8:30, a ceremony from the world trade center with president obama and former

president bush. at 9:00, vice president joe biden. on c-span 3, honoring those who lost their lives on united 93. 9/11 remembered, tomorrow on the c-span network. >> c-span remembers the september 11, 2001, through the stories of americans who run the white house, the capital, pentagon, and in the skies. tom daschle was among the leaders evacuated by helicopter to a secure, undisclosed location. he recounts his experiences that day from his narrow view of the pentagon to his description of the secret location where leaders regrouped and determine how to respond.

>> how did your day begin? >> every tuesday we had a leadership meeting. i came in early and john glenn came by. he was going to do an interview. he came by for a cup of coffee. we were sitting in my office that morning. then we had the television on and watched a plane fly into the first tower of the trade center. i remember john's reaction. didn't he -- he said a pilot flew into the trade center. he said that was not a pilot. that is how it started. we went to a leadership meeting shortly after that thinking it had to have been an accident. we turned on the monitors. we were going to begin our

preparations for the day. we began to watch this scene unfold. i remember at one point senator patty murray looked out and saw smoke billowing. she ran to the window and said, there is smoke coming from the pentagon. we all and jumped to our feet and went to window to watch what little we could see. there began the project -- chaos. >> i want to go back when the second plane hit the second tower. you are a meeting with your colleagues. remember the faces of your colleagues? >> usually when we had our meeting there was a good deal of casual conversation. but what struck me was that i was not getting the attention of anybody in the room.

there were watching the monitor and i was talking to an empty chamber in terms of my capacity. everybody was consumed about what was going on. >> looking back on that meeting -- >> the meeting did not last but a few minutes because right at the time of this was happening, a police man broke in and said we're getting at of here. i need everybody to come right now. there was a mad scramble, running out of the capitol building. i saw a young staff, i saw senator byrd carrying a couple of books. having some difficulty walking quickly. nonetheless, evaluating as we're all attempting to leave the

building. not sure where all this was going to lead. >> back to the moment where you see the smoke. you're in this meeting room. do you remember when your senators said? >> it was a sense of disbelief. a sense of real concern that there had to have been naples connection between what we saw there and what we saw on tv. how was this all understood it? there was tremendous confusion, a high degree of anxiety. a very palpable fear that something unusual in the extreme was going on. >> when you heard a plane was

heading for the capital, what did you think? >> at that point, the first thing most of us felt the need to do was to think of our own personal safety. that led to the mad scramble at of the building. we had no clue as to where we had to go. just like you would see in the movies, with the suv i was in spinning its wheels and screeching out of the capital, tearing out of the grounds. hearing my detail instructing us to drive around until further orders, it was not long after we drove with no appreciation of where we're going until the

police building. we were taken to the top floor which is near the capital campus. we were taken to the fourth floor. it pulled the shades down which i thought was an odd thing to do. then our first and most immediate concern was to connect with our family. this cell phones were not working. we stood in this line. all of the -- i can recall feeling almost like a refugee standing in line waiting to get my turn to use the land line to call my wife. >> when you're in that room, wilkeses with here? >> it was just leadership. i know that senator lott was there. senator nickles, senator reid on the senate side.

i do not recall each of who was there. some of the other house leaders. >> do you remember what you were thinking at that point? >> there was a tremendous amount of confusion. we did not know what to think. we did not know who was behind this, how orchestrated, what came next, how much more damage. we were trying to get as much information from limited media sources. i was notified that the local police department in my hometown of south dakota picked up my mother and took her to the police station. of course my mother at that time was in her late 70's. she was completely confused by

the circumstances. she was taken as a precautionary measure. all of these inexplicable matters, i could not picture to my wife. my wife was at the american airlines building at the time because she works with american. i had trouble connecting with her for some time. >> from the moment you left with the capital and you ended up at the police headquarters. do you remember what you saw, what the city looked like, what the streets looked like? >> at that time it was an amazing sight. people were coming out of their buildings. there was a mass exodus from the capitol buildings where there was a huge crowd that had gathered on the south lawn.

i remember seeing people come out of the other building as well. i think the conventional wisdom was that one was safer outside than inside. that is what you saw. a lot of people milling around outside of their buildings. obviously very confused. it was chaos. >> did you see the capital evacuated like that before? >> never before. we had a couple of occasions we had a couple of occasions after that that were similar and the moments elect -- anxiety. extraordinary concern about safety. that was the first time it has happened. >> you are the leader of the senate. what responsibility do have to make sure your staff left to the capitol grounds. how involved were you? >> all like to do was tell my

chief of staff and those at the senior staff level in the capital of the time with me that we needed to evacuate as quickly as possible. they should insist that everybody leave as quickly as they could. i had no other information upon which to base my -- my strong encouragement to my staff rather than this is a time to follow orders. nobody knew what was happening or how to react. >> were you prepared for this? was there any preparation before 9/11? >> none whatsoever. i do not recall having a fire drill in the capitol building. my memory has faded so it could have happened but i knew -- do

not recall. >> you're at police headquarters. it is late morning. deary -- >> do you remember where you were when the towers fell? >> we were in the -- i think in the late morning, the towers still hadn't fallen. we were in the capitol building and there was a good deal of discussion about three things. one, our current circumstances, what this may involve and what to do. secondly, was there a need for us to make some sort of a reactive statement so that we could at least give the impression that we were providing some leadership here. and then the third was where do we go from here?

what do we do? what should we doecide with regard to location? there was discussion of going to the secret location, some suggested going to andrews. some suggested, maybe we should not concentrate all leadership in one location regardless. so there was a great difference of opinion. it wasn't an argument necessarily, but these were all suggestions that had merit. and ultimately, we decided to disperse. so from there, i went to an off campus sight of a consultant of ours and stays there for a little while. watching developments, again on the screen, but i was with a few staff and in materials of leadership, by myself. >> the government does have facilities to house members of the house and senate. i wonder what they look look,

what sense you had. >> it's interesting. first, to note how you get there. i was called probably an hour after i iarrived at the consultant's office and was told that the decision had been made to evacuate to this undisclosed location and that i was to report to the west lawn of the capitol as quickly as i could and that i could bring one staff person, so i did that. and laura petrue, one of my senior staff, came with me. we got to the west lawn and there was a circle of s.w.a.t. team members surrounding a helicopter and of course, the helicopter's blades were whirring and we ran to the helicopter, got inside. the headphones were put on and as we were lifting off, we could hear that the pilot was

getting a communication, asking how many were on board and whether we could swing by andrews air force base to pick up senator lott and his staff, so we did that. we flew out to andrews first and then flew right versely over the pentagon as we were evacuating the city. >> what time was that? >> this was, by then, i would early afternoon. say around noon. >> how did the city look? >> the city looked somewhat normal. from the air. with one major exception and that is of course, the pentagon. there you saw a plane. we saw half of an airplane. and with countless fire trucks and thousands of people

standing around on the outside with all kinds of smoke billowing out. >> when did you first speak to president bush or vice president cheney? >> well, we got to the, the undisclosed location and it's a very stark place. with rooms that are very nondescript nondescript. and tables. and tables. white walls, very basic chairs we were then taken into the communications center, where there were a number of television monitors and other communications equipment. and it was shortly after that we the president. were put on a speakerphone with i think the president first, then the vice president second. to talk about circumstances. >> what did they say?

what did you say? >> well, basically, they recounted their own experiences, where they were, what they knew from intelligence briefings they had been given. what their intentions were as they were continuing their analysis and evaluation of what had happened. what we told them is that we stood ready to work closely with them to develop a reaction plan. and that we were planning to consult more closely with more of our colleagues. who somewhat ironically, had gatherered at the capitol police building after we evacuated and chose that as the meeting place to the extent that it had the capacity to hold numbers of people. but we began speaking to them in the afternoon. if i recall, they were all together. they were house, senate,

democratic, republican members all gathered somewhat together talking about circumstances and what we might do. >> i realize i keep going back to this point, but you're on this helicopter, flying to andrews air force base. at that point, what were you thinking? >> well, i was -- at that point, we became a little more confident that the circumstances were becoming clearer. we up until then, because of the chaos, because of the extraordinary degree of uncertainty about just about every aspect of what we were experiencing, there was so little opportunity to appraise our circumstances with any confidence that we knew what was going on, but the pieces were starting to come together by then and we all gained a greater appreciation i think of

the challenges that we were faced with. the best analysis we could find coming up with a plan to deal with those circumstances as we had analyzed them and then probably more profoundly, what to do with the amazing loss of life that was already being reported. >> when you were in the sky, you were one of the few aircrafts in the sky over washington, d.c. in this helicopter. did you see any fighter jets? did you see any other activity? >> jets. we heard a lot of fighter i don't know that i actually saw them, but they were -- they were deployed quickly and i -- my, i don't recall whether i physically saw them, but you could certainly hear them. >> how often were you during the course of the afternoon, in touch with the white house? >> frequently.

i want to say, when you say the white house, either the president, the vice president or white house officials. i would say at least every hour. >> what were they telling you? >> well, they were telling us what they knew. one of the first things they had decided and i think appropriately so, was to ground all aircraft. unfortunately, a lot of aircraft had no place to go, so even though they intentionally grounded every aircraft in the sky, they couldn't get that result for several hours. but that was one of the first things. we heard of course also about the terrible tragedy in pennsylvania. and the circumstances there. we were getting more of the details with regard to each one of these specific incidents, but they were all forming a picture that was horrific and very anxious ridden.

>> when did you finally reach your wife, linda? >> i finally was able to get through to her mid-morning. i think i finally reached her, or perhaps she reached me, but we connected late morning. she had -- she shared with me what had happened from the american perspective, what they were doing. and so, it was -- we were, we compared notes and then made the decision to call the rest of our family immediately. >> what was your sense from >> what was your sense from that phone conversation?

did she give you a sense of nervousness? what was your state of mind at that point? >> well, you don't -- i think many people have the same reaction. when you go through this. you don't have time to be too consumed about your own personal circumstances as much you want of others. to be concerned about the safety your family initially. my children, my mother. my staff. and so, it was really an effort to first to attain some better understanding of what they had experienced and then secondly, to assure them to the extent you can that we're going to get on top of this. maybe it's genetic, but there's something intuitive about wanting to be more concerned about family than yourself. >> were senators calling you? were they asking questions? were you a point person to try to feed information to your colleagues? >> i think each leader was. >> i think each leader was. there was almost a recognition

that we had a responsibility in that regard to share what we knew, but the problem was that everybody was so dispersed. there really wasn't much of an opportunity to share much at all. when they began gathering finally at the capitol police building, we were able at least to get the word out to some and then of course, communications were in some cases, nonexistent. you couldn't connect. you couldn't connect. >> what was happening with your own security detail? do you remember what they were carrying? telling you, what their state of mind was as somebody who's job the senate? >> well, they were obviously in a very intense circumstance. they weren't in the room with

us. they were waiting outside. they knew nothing more than -- in fact, we probably knew more than they did at that point. only because we were talking directly to the president who was getting briefed from people who could provide him with their best analysis. but there was constant information sharing and an effort to try to offer whatever insights we could about what was going on regardless of what role they might have had. whether it was the security detail of the capitol police or staff or family or white house, we were all in information sharing mode. times ten. >> were you still moving around? were you at your consultant's where did you spend most of the afternoon? >> we spent most of the afternoon in a secret, disclosed location. >> the two towers go down, the plane in shanksville, pennsylvania, killing everyone on board, the pentagon was hit. at that point, planes were

grounded. was there a point in the afternoon where you had a sense that at least things were under control under the circumstances? >> well, we felt increasingly confident that they were, if not had under control, at least that we reached a pause in terms of further violence and further damage for the chaos. i think there was a lot of concern about whether there was going to be a second wave. we didn't know. no one could tell us anything. even though it may not have come from an airplane, could it come from something else. a missile. whatever. and so, there was a lot of concern. about how quickly we could be assured that whatever happened

-- and that led immediately to discussions in the afternoon about how quickly we could go back and whether they were safe back and whether they were safe and the countries interest for us to speak to the country and open up the capitol, we saw it not only -- the statement we wanted to make about not allowing these forces to shut the government down. so, we consulted with all of our colleagues in the capitol building who had assembled about the propriety of coming back and perhaps speaking from the capitol steps and that's ultimately what we decided to do.

the security advice we got was idea. that that would not with a goodbe a good that they didn't know enough, but we decided to take the risk one. to the extent we knew there was if there was one. and gather on the capitol steps to say to the country and the world that we're going to be back in business the next day. >> so, what was your conversation like with the speaker because both you and the speaker issued those statements in front of the cameras. how did that all come about? >> well, it was decided early on better. that the fewer the speeches, the that the leader of the senate and house probably be the only two people to speak with as

many members as could be assembled around us. we didn't know if that was going to be half a dozen, a handful. turned out there was a pretty good number of people. who got word we were going to do this on the center steps of the capitol facing a east front and speaker, to be as defiant as we could and so, we found ourselves with a much larger group than we had anticipated and gave our speeches. >> so, you left the capitol late morning. you came back early evening. can you contrast the two what you saw in washington and what sense you had from morning and afternoon? >> well, it was such a striking day of contrasts. it was one of the most

beautiful days of the year, the sun was shining. the early morning as well as the latter part of the afternoon. and yet, with that soft september light was chaos all around. smoke still billowing from the pentagon. fire trucks, jets above. now flying with greater and greater frequency. chaos with tanks and all kinds chaos with tanks and all kinds of -- just an amazing transformation of what started as one of the most tranquil and beautiful days of the year that morning. morning. it was also abundantly clear that in spicete of the partisanship we had experienced in at that point, it seemed unprecedented level, given the very, very controversial supreme court decision about

the presidential election and the divide that occurred in the senate, 50-50 democrats and 50- 50 republicans. in spite of all the devisiveness, this was probably as united as the country had ever been. democrats and republicans holding hands, singing "god bless america." embracing, crying, expressing emotions in the most personal and profound way. a real sense that we were all in this together. in a spiritual, emotional, political way that had never been experienced before, so the study in contrast, calm, beautiful day to violence, partisanship to unity. that to me was what was really

striking. >> you're back at the capitol early evening with the speaker of the house. do you remember what you were thinking as you walked to that microphone and what did you say? >> i think we both had the same desire, which was to reflect three things. first of all, that our country was united.

say can you see by the dawn's early light, what so

proudly we hail, at the twilight last gleaming? whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? , thehe rockets' red glare bombs bursting in air, gave it proves through the night that our flag was still there, o, say, does that star spangled banner yet wave? of the freed and the home of the brave?

♪ >> you may be seated. this memorial is to 40 remarkable people.

in last than 30 minutes they assess their situation, voted on what to do, and acted. each of them is an american hero. poet robert penske will share with us a reading and then call the names of the passengers and crew. as each name is red, representatives of the first responders will told the bells of remembrance. the president of the flight -- families of flight 93, a steadfast supporter of this memorial, and brother of flight 93 passenger will offer his thoughts on this day on this memorial. robert? >> ne people, a people, is what

it remembers. for us, the american people, flight 93, because we remember it, has become a significant part of who we are and what we are as a people. however, let's come fast and acknowledge that a communication of memory, and whenever we speak of memory, we are also speaking about for getting. and we can't know what our great grandchildren will remember. but we know they will remember of this. there is always the fear of the waters of -- their river of forgetfulness. in a beautiful poem of the 19th century, lycee is mentioned. here is the two-line poem. on love, grief, on every human

thing, time sprinkles the water with its wings. and it is true that on love, on grief, forgetfulness is sometimes sprinkled. the two very short poems i am going to read to you deal first with the way we can't help what we remember. nobody wanted to remember event. we didn't want to have a burden as well as the honor of this memory. the first poem is about that helplessness that we remember whether we want to or not. and the second pup one involves the redeeming decency, reasonableness, and in the case of these 40 people, indeed,

heroism. oem about needing to remember even if you don't want to come up the way the world has changed. like many great things about events, this poem was written decades before september 11 by a great brazilian poets. it is called souvenir of the ancient world. clariss drove in the garden with the children, the sky was grain over the grass, the water golden under the bridges, other elements of blue, rose, aren't. a policeman smiled. bicycles past. a girl stepped on to long to catch a bird. the whole world -- all was quiet around clara. the children looked at the sky. it was not forbidden. mouth, nose, eyes were open.

there was no danger. it would clear. was the flu, the heat, in sex. she. missing the 11:00 trolly. not always being able to wear a new dress. but some -- she strolled in the garden in the morning. they had gardens. they had mornings in those days. that is a poem about a cataclysmic event happening, and it seems there will be no more gardens. the second poem i will read to you before i read the 30 names -- for the names, also is not written in english. it is from a great polish poet. i will read it in my translation. it is called "incantation."

for me it evokes the fact that these people, when they got on the airplanes, had no intention of being heroes, protecting. they wanted to go somewhere on ordinary, reasonable human business, and then their imagination was challenged by disaster. incantation. human reason it is beautiful and invincible. no bars, barbwire, no sentence of banishment can prevail against it. it establishes a universal idea in languages and guides our hands so we right truth and justice with capital-letter a spiritedlie an d oppression with small. it puts what should be above things as they are.

it is an enemy of despair and a friend of hope. it does not know jew from greek or slave from master, giving us the estates of the world to manage. it saves austere and transparent phrases from the filthy discord of tortured words. it says that everything is a new under the sun. opens the congealed fist of the past. beautiful and very young are philosophy and poetry, ally in the service of the good. as late as yesterday nature celebrated their birth. the news was brought to the mountains by a unicorn and an echo. their friendship will be glorious. of their time has no limit. their enemies have delivered

themselves to destruction. i will now say the 40 names. christian adams, a rangy day -- lorraine bay, todd beamer, alan anthony beaven, market bingham -- mark bingham, deora frances

bodley, sarah bradshaw, marion britton, thomas burnett jr., william joseph cashman, georgine rose corrigan, patricia cushing , jason dahl, joseph deluca,

patrick joseph driscoll, edward p. felt, jane c. folger, colleen laura fraser, andrew garcia, jeremy logan glick, kristin

gould, lauren grandcolas, and unborn child, wanda anita green, donald f. greene, linda gronlund, richard guadagno,

leroy homer, toshiya kuge, ceecee lyles, hilda marcin, waleska martinez, nicole miller, louis j. nacke, donald

arthur peterson, jean hoadley peterson, mark rothenberg, christine snyder, john talignani, honor elizabeth wainio, deborah jacobs welsh.

[bagpipes]

[applause] >> vice-president biden, president bush, president clinton, secretary salazar, speaker boehner -- friends, families, and all those that chose to take time today to share in the bittersweet celebration of this memorial dedication. thank you for honoring the memory of the passengers and crew of united flight 93 with

your presence. 10 years ago we first came to this hallowed grounds. we were devastated. nearly broken. our lives had changed in an instant and at a time when we least expected the potential of such evil in the world. today, with the dedication of the flight 93 national memorial, we are assured that the enduring legacy of our loved ones and their collective actions on of timber 11th, 2001, will be -- september 11, 2001, will be preserved, providing comfort, inspiration, and education for future generations. it has been a long road to this very day. it seems to have passed in an instant. so many hurdles, so many steps to take, procedures to follow. only a project worthy of this could sustain a level of dedication on the part of so

many that would see us through to this dedication on this 10th anniversary. on this occasion it is proper and fitting to acknowledge those first responders joining us today that were called into action within minutes of the crash of flight 93. as the course of our lives was so violently altered that day, they heard the call to duty, and in their own way was the first to honor our heroes through their actions. this level of action, dedication, and compassion within the somerset county community and surrounding areas on the morning of september 11, a 2001, and during the period of recovery and investigation, was not unique, but rather the norm. whether it is the ambassador standing vigil at the memorial, volunteers working with the national park service to preserve artifacts and oral histories, or community members opening their homes and hearts

to families in our time of grief, this community has embraced this memorial project with all the dignity, grace, and under i come to realize is pervasive here in southwestern pennsylvania and across the commonwealth to harrisburg. senator casey, senator toomey, representatives shuster, the entire pennsylvania delegation, as well as long time champions of the flight 93 national memorial, former gov. ed rendell, former gov. ridge, senator specter, and the late congressman murtha -- you have honored our government's commitment to be an active partner in the development of this project. with such upheaval in our world to get up today you continue to fight the good fight in order to ensure this project has stayed on schedule and is continue to be appropriately funded. to the families, this sacred

ground holds a deep and special significance. this is the final resting place of the crew and passengers of flight 93 and we worked hard to ensure it is treated with the proper care and respect. we are grateful for secretary salazar and the national park service for their leadership in this memorial project, as well as for their current and future stewardship of this land. superintendent, project manager rhinegold, former superintendent hanley, and the entire team of rangers, ambassadors, and volunteers, we trust that you will continue to be the fierce advocates for our loved ones moving forward that you have demonstrated to be thus far. for while we are dedicating a memorial on this day, our job is not done. we look forward to a timely completion of this memorial project so that as future generations come to somerset county seeking answers, they

will have the ability to experience the complete edition of the memorial's design. the story of a flight 93 is one that resonates with all who would hold their to their hearts of the rule of law, the love of family, and the desire to control the destiny of one's life. over 70,000 people from across the globe have demonstrated their support for the flight 93 national memorial through financial support, and nearly 1.5 million individuals have already come to this sacred ground in order to pay their respects to our 40 heroes. they have come asking questions, seeking perspective, as well as to tell their own stories and experiences of september 11, 2001. all that have made the pilgrimage to this site, all that worked tirelessly to create this memorial, and all of those who refused to forget the individuals and their

collective actions honor of the 40 crew and passengers of united flight 93. we must choose to be inspired by the story of flight 93 and seized the opportunity to hold fast to the hard-fought lessons learned on this sacred ground just 10 certification -- short years ago. as long as we continue to remember the actions of our loved ones, they remain alive in our hearts, and in the hearts of our nation. thank you. [applause]

remember you will you remember me life pass you by waiting on the memory ♪

i will remember you will you remember me life pass you by weep not for the memories ♪

i'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to lose, cleaning -- clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose, once there was a darkness, deep and and list the night, you gave me everything you had it, oh, you gave me light and i will remember you will you remember me? don't let your life pass you by weep not for the memries

and i will remember you will you remember me? don't let your life pass you by weep not for the memories ♪ ♪ [applause] >> thank you, ed thank you sarah mclaughlin.

that was beautiful. for joining us today and for the perfect piece. this memorial would not have been possible without a strong and unwavering support of individuals, governments, groups, and foundations from across the country that have made personal and financial commitments to see it through. we welcome representatives of several of those groups. the first is chris sullivan, chairman of the flight 93 capital campaign and vice- chairman of the national park foundation. [applause] >> thank you, john barrett and thank you for all you have done for flight 93 national memorial. your leadership is remarkable. thank you very much, john. as a fund raising partner of the national park service, the national parks foundation is a privilege to work with a dedicated group of partners. the corporations, businesses,

foundations, and other organizations, the law form -- law firm of porter right that did pro bono work and the land, is committed to protecting is hobbled ground. yet none of this -- nobody has given more than the relatives and family members of the 40 men and women of flight 93. they feel the weight of the loss, and we admire you for your courage, your determination, your commitment, and your persistence in seeing this national memorial becomes a reality. and we are very excited that today the first that is being completed. this is an important endeavor to create a permanent place of recognition of the heroes, your loved ones, so each generation knows that the incredible heroism, sacrifice, and horror that took place here 10 years

ago. i would like to especially thank our honorary co-chairman. general, a franks and gov. tom ridge, for first asking me to participate, but more for your numerous trips and meetings with donors and your ongoing and positive enthusiasm an inspiration to see this effort through. i want you two to stand up so everybody can say thank you. [applause] some 75,000 individuals and organizations have made commitments to this national memorial. these donations, both large and small, inspire us to continue to move forward and ordered to fulfill the promise we made it 10 years ago to remember these brave souls on board flight 93. your names will forever be

recognized in our honor roll as well as in our hearts through your extraordinary generosity. thanks in your part for making and dedicating this national memorial today. over 1.5 million visitors from around the world visited the memorial, but today marks the first time we walk across the plaza and stand before this wall and, -- come face-to-face with the quiet meadow surrounded by thousands of others who share the memory of 9/11. visiting here serves of the memories and emotions that are still raw. we reflect, and we do, reflect on the incredible courage and conviction of the heroes of flight 93 as well as the heartbreak and the sorrow of their loved ones. we are thankful these ordinary citizens stood up and stop another deadly and destructive attack on our nation. we would like to thank five

organizations for underwriting today's event. alcoa foundation, bank of america, erie insurance, hi mark, and verizon. thank you. [applause] today's dedication marks an important milestone in the history and progress of the flight 93 national memorial, but it is not the final step in the journey of healing and remembrance. what we see today is only part of the memorial. behind you will be a visitors center filled with learning resources and public programs. 40 more " -- memorial grows encircling the vast field of honor and a tower of voices who stones will echo across this land. america has a long tradition of honoring its heroes in national parks. from the calm waters of pearl harbor to the majestic mountains of mount rushmore to the enduring legacy of martin luther king, jr., we are pleased that

these 40 men and women, the heroes of flight 93, are so honored. we are confident we can realize the full vision of a national memorial. we ask for your continued support and ask you to encourage others to learn more about our efforts and go to honorflight93.org if you get them to participate. this has been a remarkable journey and, again, we still have work to do but thank you, families, you are an inspiration to all of us. we will get this done. with that, we would like to present the secretary of interior ken salazar, who has been absolutely fantastic in these efforts. mr. secretary? [applause] >> thank you very much. good afternoon to all of you and to vice-president biden, dr. biden, president clinton, to

president bush, to mrs. bush, speaker boehner, and senators casey and tommey and all the members of the delegations and elected officials and especially to the families today who worked so hard to dig as possible. we join together as friends and family is -- families, to build and support enduring monument to love, courage, and sacrifice. on one morning, a turn of history and a rush of heroes forever changed this land and this nation and this world. the battle that began at 6 miles overhead ended with a roar of engines and this area behind us, the stony creek river. since that day, millions of americans have come to honor their heroes of flight 93. they have brought to this hallowed ground their pictures, their letters, and their

prayers. and the people of this land, themselves survivors and witnesses and first responders welcome those who came. they helped us mourn, they helped us reflect, and they helped us build a memorial for all of america and for all the world for all time to seabright in this place. to the citizens of somerset county and for those who lead that effort, including gov. ridge and gov. grendell and general franks and so many others, we thank you for making this day possible to the landowners of this place in somerset county who gave of their property to this nation so that we might honor those who gave their lives here, we thank you. and to the architect, paul murdock, who kept true to the landscape and to this event, your design has moved our hearts from the beginning. if to the families of flight 93,

home i have come to know well over the years, and to the flight 93 advisory commission, the flight 93 memorial task force, the national park foundation, and the relentless and undying efforts of neil mulholland as president, for all the elected officials, thank you to your leadership. to the tens of thousands of citizens who donated to this cause, more than 75,000 so far, you honor us all. and to the families themselves who have suffered the unspeakable tragedy, but to rededicate themselves so deeply to protecting this final resting place, their partnership in this process, in this place, will ensure that the legacy of your loved ones is never forgotten. i am honored and i am humbled to work with all of you to make this day happen. so we will never forget those heroes who gave their lives on this hallowed ground.

today, this special place, these 2,200 acres, answer the care and trust of the departments of interior and the national parks service has the 389th unit of the national park service. it joins the hallowed grounds of gettysburg and yorktown, selma and pearl harbor, as a place where patriots gave their lives for this nation. here, like so many lands and sites we protect, we are reminded of that with -- which binds us as one people. we are reminded that we all share in our nation's triumphs as well as its trials. we shared dreams of peace and prosperity and we are reminded that we stand up for one another, fight for each other, and defend the rights and dignity and doweled to all humankind.

terrorism of the passengers and crew of flight 93 will endure forever -- the heroism of the passengers and crew of flight 93 will and/or forever. the field of honor, the groves of trees, the wind chimes that will one day be heard throughout this landscape. on behalf of the men and women of the national park service and the department of interior, we pledge, on behalf of president obama, on behalf of this nation's citizens, we pledged to guard this hallowed ground so that all who visit may learn what happened here. we will tell the story of flight 93 and its heroic 40 passengers. we will ensure that of the 40 patriots who gave their lives will never be forgotten. and we will see to it that the american values so evident that

day, determination, resilience, service, continue to inspire us, guide us, and give us hope for the future. now, it is my honor to read a letter from president carter, who was not able to come, but asked that i read this letter to all of you who are assembled here. he says -- "i join with all of you in the dedication of the flight 93 memorial and the desire to honor and remember the men and women who died here 10 years ago tomorrow. at a time of great sadness, we nevertheless were inspired by the courage and sacrifice manifested by the passengers and crew of united flight 93. our nation was stricken by an unprecedented attack that brought death and injury to thousands of people and suffering to millions in the united states and around the world.

recognize the personal losses of the families and friends of those who perished in new york and washington as well as pennsylvania. they receive my deepest consult -- condolences. all of us americans suffered and found it difficult to understand such evil acts. the proper response and includes an enhanced defense against terrorism and a renewed dedication to the values that makes the united states a great nation, a commitment to truth, justice, peace, freedom, humility, a human-rights, and generosity. the creation of this national memorial park will help us remember what we have lost and what we must do. i expected to be an inspiration and a comfort to all of us. rosalind i -- are prayers' for consolation and hope. sincerely, jimmy carter.

" it is my honor to present to all of you here in somerset county and pennsylvania the 43rd president of the united states, george w. bush. [applause] [applause] >> thank you very much. mr. secretary, thank you very much. mr. vice-president, dr. biden, president clinton, mr. speaker, members of congress, my friends tommy frank and tom ridge, thank

you for helping to raise the money for this memorial. members of the national parks service and the national park foundation and all of you who supported this memorial, but most importantly, the families of the flight 93. laura and i are honored to join you in dedicating this memorial to the heroes of flight 93. when the sun rose and the pennsylvania sky 10 years ago tomorrow, it was a peaceful september morning. by the time it said, nearly 3000 people were gone. the most lives lost on american soil in a single day since the battle of antietam. with the distance of a decade, 9/11 can feel like part of a different era, but for the families of the men and women stolen, some of whom joined us today, that they will never feel

like history. the memory of that morning is fresh, and so is the pain. america shares your grief, we pray for your comfort, and we honor your loved ones. september 11, 2001, innocent men and women went to work at the world trade center. the reporting for duty at the pentagon. they boarded american flights to 11 and 77, united flights 93 and 175. they did nothing to provoke or deserve the deliberate act of murder that al qaeda carried out. one of the lessons of 9/11 is that evil is real and so is courage. when the airplanes struck the world trade center, firefighters and police officers charged up the stairs into the flames.

as the towers and neared collapse, they continued the rescue efforts. all tamale more than 400 police officers and firefighters gave their lives. among them was the chief of the new york city fire department. as a colleague put it -- he would never ask anyone to do something he didn't do himself. the pentagon service members and civilians told friends and strangers from burning rubble. one special forces soldier recalls reaching through a cloud of smoke in search of the wounded. as he entered one room, he prayed to find someone alive. he discovered a severely burned woman and carried her to safety. they later met in of the hospital, where she explained that she had been praying for rescue.

she called him her garden -- guardian angel. and then there was the extraordinary story we commemorate here. aboard united airlines flight 93 were college students from california, an ironworker from new jersey, veterans of the korean war and world war ii, citizens of germany and japan, the pilot who had rearranged his schedule so that he could take his wife on a vacation to celebrate their anniversary. when the passengers and crew realized the airplane had been hijacked, they reported the news calmly. when they learned that the terrorists had crashed other airplanes into targets on the ground, they accepted greater responsibilities. in the back of the cabin, the passengers gathered to devise a strategy. at the moment, america's democracy was under attack. our citizens defied their

captors by holding a vote. the choice they many passengers called their loved ones to say goodbye. another said it is up to us, i think we can do it. one of the most stirring accounts, a father of two with a pregnant wife at home in new jersey. prayer.ed the lord's he helped lead the charge to the front of the plane. the men and women who stormed the cockpit lived out the words, a greater love hath no man than this. they launched the first counter-

offensive on the war on terror. we will never know how many innocent people might have been lost. we do know this. americans are alive today because the passengers and crew of flight 93 chose to act. our nation will be forever grateful. the 40 souls who perished on the plane left a great deal behind. they let spouses and children and grandchildren, who missed them dearly. they left successful businesses and promising careers and a lifetime of dreams that they will never have a chance to fulfill. they left something else. a legacy of bravery and selflessness that will always inspire america. for generations, people will study the story of flight 93. they will learn that individual choices make a difference, that

love and sacrifice and triumph over evil and hate. what happened up of this pennsylvania field ranks among one of the most courageous acts in american history. the memorial we dedicate today will ensure that our nation always remembers those lost here on 9/11. we have a duty beyond memory. we had a duty beyond on iran. we have a duty to live our lives in a way -- we have a duty beyond honoring. to build a living memorial to their courage and sacrifice. we have a duty to find common purpose as a nation. in the days after 9/11, our response came like a single hand over a single heart. members of congress gathered on the steps of the capital and "god blessang

america." in the past decade, our country has been tested. there have been debates along with the way. the essence of democracy, but americans have never been defined by our disagreements. whatever challenges we face today and the future, we must never lose faith in our ability to meet them together. we must never allow our differences to harden into divisions. we have a duty to remain engaged in the world. 9/11 proved that the conditions in the country on the other side of the world can have an impact on our streets. it may be tempting to think it does not matter what happens to a village in afghanistan, or a child in africa, but the temptation of isolation is

doubly wrong. -- deadly wrong. a world of dignity and liberty and hope will be better for all. the surest way to move towards that vision is for the united states of america to lead the cause of freedom. finally, we each have a duty to serve because larger than ourselves. the passengers aboard flight 93 sets an example that inspires us all. many followed their path to service by donating blood or mentoring a child or volunteering in desperate corners of the earth. some have devoted their careers to analyzing intelligence or protecting our borders and securing our skies. others have made the noble choice to defend our nation in battle. for 10 years, our troops have given their lives to bourbon and

our enemies from attacking america again. they have kept us safe, they have made us proud, and they had upheld the spirit of service shown by the passengers on flight 93. many years ago, in 1853, another president came to dedicate a memorial site in the state. he told this audience that in the larger sense, we cannot hallowed this ground. the world will long remember what we say here, but we can never forget what they did here. so it is with flight 93. for as long as this memorial stands, we will remember what the men and women aboard the plane and did. we pay tribute to the courage they showed and a sacrifice they

made and the lives they spare. the united states will never forget, may god bless you all. [applause] [applause] >> before president bush came up to speak, i asked him if he was

having a hard time. he said i was doing fine and to let looked at you. -- until i looked at you. last night, hillary came home after spending the day in new york. her eyes bright red -- her eyes were red. 10 years ago, she was the senator representing those firemen. nearly 900 people who died, and all the others. as we remember what happened in the new york, at the pentagon, and year, -- and here, all the rest of us have to honor those who were lost, to thank those who loved them for keeping their memory alive, raising their

children, and finding the strength to go on with your own life. i think we should also thank president bush and those who served with him for keeping us from being attacked again. [applause] i thank them for that. john boehner, i think you and the members of congress that are here, and you have been in the congress for the last 10 years. trying to respond to the findings of the 9/11 commission that improve our ability to secure our homeland. here, in this place, we honor

something more. i was very moved wind president bush recounted the facts of what happened with your loved ones over this field a decade ago. there has always been a special place in the common man marine -- memory for people who certainly it laid down their lives for other people. president bush is from texas. i grew up in arkansas. that is a more important difference between us and our partisan differences. i was raised on the memory of

the alamo, the defining story of texas. those people knew they were going to die. the cause of freedom allowed the whole idea of texas to survive. and those who live there now to enjoy the life they do. the first such great story i had been able to find that reminds me of all of your loved ones, however, occurred almost 2500 years ago. the great king of sparta and facing a massive persian army took 300 of its finest soldiers. there were thousands upon thousands upon thousands of

people. they all knew they were going to die. he told them that when they went. the enemy said, we are going to fill the air with so many arabs that it will be dark. -- arrows that it will be dark. the spartans said, we will fight in the shade. and they all died. the casualties' they took and the time they bought saved the people they loved. this is something different. at the alamo, they were soldiers. they knew what they had to do. your loved ones just happened to be on a plane. with almost no time to decide,

they gave the entire country a gift. they save the capital from attack and they saved god knows how many lives. they saved the terrorist from claiming the symbolic victory of smashing the center of american government. they did it as citizens. this allowed us to survive as a country, still welcomed people from all over the world. ordinary people, given no time at all to decide, did the right thing. 2500 years to now, i hope that

people will still remember. [applause] since i am no longer in office, i can do unpopular things. i told the secretary of the interior that i was aghast to find out that we still need to raise money to finish this. we have already volunteered to do a bipartisan event in the washington. let's get this show on the road. thank you, and god bless you. [applause]

>> president clinton, thank you. it feels a bit like the rabbit who wanders into the territory of the eagles to speak after these folks here. [laughter] the difference is the eagles are friends. they are friends of everyone of us here. thank you. my name is john reynolds. i am the chairman for the federal advisory commission for the flight 93 memorial. it is my pleasure to represent an incredible partnership and its constant attention and action over the last decade.

it is a partnership that is mostly invisible and unknown except to a few. it created a vision coming to fruition here as a result of diversity and commitment. it has created this national memorial, this national park. the partnership consists of five groups. they are the families of flight 93, a family members of the 40 heroes. flight 93 task force composed of family members, local people, and others. they were the original group of citizens who imagined and national memorial here, worked to consensus, and took action to convince congress and president bush to act. the flight 93 advisory commission is a direct link

between everybody else and the department of interior and the national park service. it is made up of 15 people representing the local community, the families, corporate and national interests, and public historians. the national park foundation, at the national fund-raising arm of the partnership, and the national park service. all before we the people to enjoy, to reflect upon, and to learn about our nation. these partners, however, barely reflect the many people you had given of themselves. they include the flight 93 ambassadors, local people the took it upon themselves to help visitors, starting within days

of 9/11. [applause] first responders, the newly formed france of flight 93, all of you please -- the newly formed friends of flight 93. construction workers, government employees, governors, and generals, cabinet members, senators, congressmen, presidents, and first ladies. 75,000 individuals who have donated their money to create this memorial and the over 1000 people who shared their vision in an international design competition. this outpouring continues to be a truly american undertaking.

no one asks, who are you? why are you here? how come you care? all that is asked is sincerity. the result stands before us today. the people have done this. they designed what we hear it -- what we see here today. their real genius, though, it is that they joined a chorus of our partnership of people to listen to it and to the land and to the sky and played back their souls to create this representation of thanks and spirit of the 40 heroes of flight 93, who acted together, fought back,.

gave their lives. the heroes live there by that solids down. they stand tall, solid, speaking to us. each name, each equal, individuals, who knowingly chose and took action to avert an even greater american tragedy. they are the courage of free people everywhere. they are our past, they are our future. this place is the people's gift to america. a national park and a national memorial for as long as this nation shall live. it is my great and humble honor

to present this memorial on behalf of the people of this wonderful partnership to all the people of the united states of america. will all of you please follow mr. jarvis? thank you very much. [applause]

[applause] [america the beautiful]

♪ ♪

[applause]

>> ladies and gentlemen, i am honored to be standing here today. standing with two former presidents, president clinton, as he said, the passengers on flight 93 knew that our common humidity is what united us most. -- humanity is what united us most. the same can be said for duke, mr. president. -- for you, mr. president. [applause] we thank you for what you have done and what you continue to do. let me also recognize the man responsible for bringing our country together at a time where it could have been torn apart, for making it clear that america

could not be brought to our knees and helping us stand tall and strike back. president george w. bush. [applause] in the darkest hour of our generation, your voice and leadership, mr. president, help us find our way. for that, you deserve our gratitude for a long, long time. [applause] i say now to the families to gather here today, i know what it is like to receive that call at of the blue. like a bolt out of the blue.

i know this is a bittersweet moment for you. i want to tell you, you have a lot more courage than i have. you have a lot more courage just by being here today because i know how hard it is to relive these moments. it brings everything back in stark detail. i also know, like your loved ones, you are literally an inspiration to the thousands of people across this country right now who are feeling of an intense tragedy that they are suffering. they know, looking at you, watching television today, that there is hope to be found after tragedy.

there is a rebirth in the face of death. you are as courageous as your family members were and we owe you all for being here today just the act of being here. [applause] we are here today to remember and honor 40 men and women who gave their lives so that others could live theirs. decent, honorable when it -- women and men that never imagined when they said goodbye to their children and walked through the door, they were doing it for the very last time. they did not know the horror that awaited them. but they confronted fear and

terror with the courage that was summoned by the truest of american heroes. 40 names etched on each of those panels. more than that, their names are going to be etched forever in to american history. they joined an elite list of men and women with a long history, filled with ordinary americans doing extraordinary things. men and women of undaunted courage, and a stubborn perseverance in the face of challenges. we teach our children that these are qualities ingrained into our national character as americans. i believe they are. they can make our national identity. i believe they will continue to define america because of the

example of the men and women that we pay tribute to today. the passengers and crew of flight 93. none of them cast for what happened. they did not go on that plane, they did not board that plane to fight a war. when they heard the news, when the speller but what happened in new york, they knew it -- when they found what happened in new york, they knew they were going through something more than a hijacking. they knew it was the opening shot in a new war. so they opted as citizen patriots had acted since the beginning of our country. they stood up and they stood their ground. "if they need to have a war, let it began here."

as many times as i recall, and all of you who were not family members, recall this incident time and again over the last 10 years. i never fail to be astonished by the courage they demonstrated. and so we stand where it began. we think of our nation, we think of our history, we think of the future. we think of it because of them up with a confidence knowing that ordinary citizens will continue to stare down fear, overwhelmed evil, and bring forth hope when there seems to be none. it will continue to amaze us, it

should not surprise us. that heroism is do we are. that correct lies deepest and beats loudest in the heart of this nation. we know that these 40 men and women were more than ordinary americans. they were more than the passengers and crew. they were already heroes. they were already euros to you. they are the father -- they were already here rose -- heroes to you. they were the brother who lifted you up and the daughter who made you laugh and the son of a major proud.

-- who nmade you proud. they are irreplaceable. no memorial, no words, no acts can fill the void that they left in your hearts. my prayer for you is that 10 years later, their memory is able to bring a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. i hope you take comfort in knowing that a grateful nation understands that your loved one gave their lives in pursuit of the noblest of earthly goals, defending their country, defending their family, sacrificing their lives so we could live hours.

-- ours. those of us in washington that day, without knowing it for sure at the time, now know that we owed them a personal debt of gratitude. that spirit lives on in you and your country. it lives on in the cross of steel made from the trade center bemis -- beams. [applause] that cross is an enduring symbol of the spine that of this region and this country.

it lives on in the new generation of warriors spread the 9/11 generation. inspired by what happened here, 2.8 million young americans have joined the united states armed forces. thousands giving their lives and tens of thousands to finish the war that began here. "history, despite the pain, cannot be unlived. however, if faced with courage, need not be lived again." ladies and gentlemen, we are not here to unlive history.

we're here to honor those whose courage made history and will inspire generations of americans to come. i say to you, even as we struggle with this tragedy, even as we grapple with a profound loss and devastating grief, we can look up at the heavens and think of those heroes and note -- know that there is not a single tragedy that america cannot overcome. there is not a single moment of hardship that cannot be transformed into one of national strength. the seeds of doubt planted by those who wish to harm us will grow into flour and metals like this one, where we stand today. -- flowering