STOYSTOWN, PA, UNITED STATES — Sailors assigned to amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) visited Somerset County, Pennsylvania, to attend the 22nd anniversary observance of Sept. 11 at the Flight 93 National Memorial.
The ship was named after Somerset County, in honor of the 40 passengers and crew who gave their lives on United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The passengers and crew prevented the plane from reaching its intended target, but it tragically crashed in Stoneycreek Township in Somerset County.
Five Sailors arrived in Somerset County for a multi-day trip to participate in the observance, honoring the families of the 40 passengers and crew that perished on Flight 93.
Stephen Clark, Superintendent of Flight 93 National Memorial, provided remarks as the keynote speaker for the observance.
“The Flight 93 story shared here is now interwoven into an important lesson about our nation's history,” said Clark. “It is a memorial dedicated to honoring the memory of 40 individuals who, on September 11th, 2001, acted with such bravery and without regard for themselves, ultimately thwarting an attack on our nation’s capital.”
The annual visit from Somerset Sailors fosters the strong bond between Somerset County and USS Somerset while educating Sailors on the impact and significance that Flight 93 had on the world.
“Twenty-two years ago today, when the United States was attacked, heroes emerged in New York, at the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93,” said Clark. “The 40 passengers and crew members of Flight 93 collectively stopped their hijacked plane from reaching its intended target. Their actions unquestionably saved untold number of lives and preserved the U.S. Capital, the symbol and the center of our democracy.”
The Somerset crew also visited Berlin High School, Remember Me Rose Garden and the Stoystown American Legion where they met with local veterans.
"It was an unbelievable experience being here and witnessing who we represent,” said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Sage Kray. “This ceremony reminded me that there are people that count on us to carry on the memory of what happened here in Somerset County, and I am truly grateful for being here."
Somerset is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship home ported in San Diego. The ship’s keel contains steel from a mining machine standing near the crash site in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Every deck of the ship contains mementos of Flight 93, including a dedicated passageway leading to the Memorial Room, which bears the names of the passengers.