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Flight 93 Pa. crash site marked by boulder

The 17-ton boulder was recently moved into place by a stone company that’s building the entrance road at the memorial in Shanksville

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AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
This is the 17-ton boulder, left, that was placed to mark the site of the crash of Flight 93 at the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pa., Monday, Aug. 1, 2011.

Associated Press

SHANKSVILLE, Pa. — The western Pennsylvania site where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed after passengers confronted hijacking terrorists during the Sept. 11 attacks almost a decade ago is being marked by a gigantic boulder.

National Park Service superintendent Keith Newlin says victims’ relatives approved the idea. He says the 17-ton boulder was recently moved into place by a stone company that’s building the entrance road at the memorial in Shanksville. He tells Somerset’s Daily American newspaper he suggested a smaller rock but the company’s foreman said the victims deserve the big boulder.

Word of the boulder came as more than two dozen relatives of victims gathered Saturday with park and memorial officials for the ceremonial planting of the first three of 40 sweet gum trees to honor the victims.