President Donald Trump delivered remarks Tuesday at the Flight 93 crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, honoring the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. United Flight 93 crashed at the sight 17 years ago after passengers attempted to regain control of the plane from hijackers who aimed to attack Washington, D.C.
"A piece of America’s heart is buried on these grounds," the president said. "But in its place has grown a new resolve to live our lives with the same grace and courage as the heroes of Flight 93."
The president spoke of the heroism of the passengers on Flight 93. "We're here to pay solemn tribute to the forty passengers and crew members on Flight 93 who rose up, defied the enemy, took control of their destiny, and changed the course of history," he said.
"On September 11, 2001, a band of brave patriots turned the tide on our nation’s enemies and joined the immortal ranks of American heroes," Trump continued. "At this memorial on this sacred earth, in the field beyond this wall, and in the skies above our heads, we remember the moment when America fought back."
Trump paid tribute to all of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and spoke of America’s resolve in the face of evil. "We grieve together for every mother and father, sister and brother, son and daughter, who was stolen from us at the twin towers, the Pentagon, and here in this Pennsylvania field," he said.
"We honor their sacrifice by pledging to never flinch in the face of evil and to do whatever it takes to keep America safe," Trump continued.
The president concluded by talking about the resilience of the American spirit. "America's future is not written by our enemies. America's future is written by our heroes," he said.
"Seventeen years ago, 40 incredible men and women showed the whole world that no force on earth will ever conquer the American spirit," he continued. "We treasure their memory. We cherish their legacy. And we ask God to forever bless the immortal heroes of Flight 93."
Trump's remarks came on the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and just two days after a new memorial, the Tower of Voices, was dedicated near the the crash site. The tower was built as part of the Flight 93 National Memorial, the first phase of which opened in 2011, and was "conceived as a monumental, ninety-three feet tall musical instrument holding forty wind chimes, representing the forty passengers and crew member," according to the National Parks Service.
There are no other chime structures like this in the world. The shape and orientation of the tower are designed to optimize air flow through the tower walls to reach the interior chime chamber. The chime system is designed using music theory to identify a mathematically developed range of frequencies needed to produce a distinct musical note associated with each chime. The applied music theory allows the sound produced by individual chimes to be musically compatible with the sound produced by the other chimes in the tower. The intent is to create a set of forty tones (voices) that can connote through consonance the serenity and nobility of the site while also through dissonance recalling the event that consecrated the site.