Pennsylvania Hosts Multiple 9/11 Memorial Ceremonies Across State

Multiple ceremonies and displays in Pennsylvania commemorated the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville. At the Pennsylvania State Capitol, the Flight 93 memorial flag, designed by a Midstater and featuring nearly 3,000 small American flags and flags from first responders and victims' origin countries, was ceremoniously unfurled and refolded in the rotunda by activist Gene Stilp, with visitors singing and reflecting on the sacrifice of the passengers who attempted to regain control of the hijacked plane. The flag, which also flies on the USS Somerset, was returned to Shanksville for further commemorative events. Meanwhile, at Penn State’s University Park campus, student groups from diverse political backgrounds collaboratively displayed 2,977 American flags on the Old Main lawn, symbolizing lives lost and the unity experienced in the aftermath of 9/11. In Luzerne County, the memorial flag was also displayed in the courthouse rotunda for a public remembrance ceremony, emphasizing the ongoing community efforts to translate grief into positive remembrance. State senators and military veterans highlighted the bravery of Flight 93’s passengers as one of the purest examples of sacrifice in American history.