“Forty incredible men and women showed the whole world that no force on Earth will ever conquer the American spirit,” President Donald Trump said. | Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo Trump honors 'brave patriots' on Flight 93 at Sept. 11 service

President Donald Trump on Tuesday marked the 17th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks with a somber speech in Shanksville, Pa., hailing the passengers and crew members of United Airlines Flight 93 as “a band of brave patriots” who “turned the tide on our nation's enemies and joined the immortal ranks of American heroes.”

The president, joined by first lady Melania Trump, spoke during a commemorative service at the Flight 93 National Memorial — the crash site of the downed Boeing 757 whose passengers thwarted hijackers’ attempt to steer the commercial airliner into the U.S. Capitol in Washington.


“A piece of America's heart is buried on these grounds,” Trump 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. This field is now a monument to American defiance. This memorial is now a message to the world. America will never, ever submit to tyranny.”

He added: “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.”

All 40 passengers and crew members perished when the plane plowed into an open field in Somerset County just after 10 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001.

“They boarded the plane as strangers,” Trump said, “and they entered eternity linked forever as true heroes.”

The four Al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists on board were also killed in the collision. Flight 93 was the only one of the four hijacked aircraft on 9/11 not to reach its intended target.

“Forty incredible men and women showed the whole world that no force on Earth will ever conquer the American spirit,” the president said. “We treasure their memory. We cherish their legacy. And we ask god to forever bless the immortal heroes of Flight 93.”

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, former Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker, Pennsylvania Reps. Lou Barletta, Keith Rothfus and Bill Shuster; and Gordon Felt, president of the Families of Flight 93, joined Trump at the ceremony.

