Like Many Fields

Like many fields, this one once held the broken bodies of reluctant warriors. Warriors who were ordinary people, full of fear and apprehension yet filled with a sense of purpose and the will to attack their enemy despite their fears Though they lost their lives, they succeeded keeping their enemy from completing their mission. They emerged victorious. They emerged as heroes.

The battle of Shanksville was fought and won before the participants arrived at the final battle site. The opening stages of the battle were fought many miles from Shanksville, the enemy victorious over unsuspecting participants.

As the stakes of the battle became known, the warriors of Flight 93 assessed the situation, recognized the need and developed a plan. They drew from the depths of their souls and implemented their plan. Their plan succeeded, those of their enemy failed. Their enemy underestimated the resolve of the Heroes of Flight 93.

Today, the field is closed to the public, except to those who lost loved ones on flight 93. I am told a flag and a monument mark the spot. A permanent memorial is being built by the National Park Service, Phase one is to be completed by the tenth anniversary of the battle.

Tomorrow, I will pin a commemorative badge on my uniform and I will remember the heroes and victims of Flight 93, just as I will the heroes and victims of the World Trade Center and of the Pentagon. It will be a normal day at the healing place, though there will be moments of somber reflection as we ponder the events that occurred on that day, nine years ago.

It won't be too many more years that people will start showing up at the Kinda Big Fire Protection District who weren't yet born on that dark day. I hope that someone explains to them how true heroes were created on that day and how they sacrificed all for the greater good..

Thanks for reading,
A somber and humble Schmoe