A decade ago a group of passengers fought their airplane's attackers and saved countless lives -- today some of those heroes will finally be buried at the Shanksville, Pa., crash site.
Yesterday, the nation paused to remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001 on the 10th anniversary of the attack on America. Formal, public memorials were held at Ground Zero in New York City, at the Pentagon in Washingon, D.C. and in a once-empty field in Shanksville.
In all, 2,977 people were killed 10 years ago in what were the first salvos in the country's war on terror. Many say the first U.S. victory in that war happened when a group of strangers banded together on Flight 93 headed to San Francisco.
The 40 passengers and crew fought back and forced the plane to crash in Pennsylvania instead of its intended target in Washington D.C.
Now, 10 years later, not only has an official memorial been dedicated to those on board, but some of their remains will finally be buried.
There will be a private burial of remains found at the Shanksville crash site on Monday. Somerset County coroner Wallace Miller has had the remains in his possesion for the past decade, but says he will bury them Monday.
The burial site will be at the area of the field called "Sacred Ground " and is just outside the official stone memorial. It's the point of impact.
The entire Flight 93 memorial will be closed to the public starting Sunday evening so that crews can dig what will be the grave sites for the remains which have been separated into three caskets.
The ceremony is closed to the media. Only family and invited guests will be allowed.
Over the weekend the Flight 93 National Memorial was dedicated with speeches by former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton on Saturday.
Local
President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, visited the memorial on Sunday and spent time with relatives of the victims. The memorial is a long walk way highlighted by a 40-panel wall bearing the names of those who died.
