Buffalo Soldiers honor the warriors aboard Flight 93
By MICHELLE GANASSI
Daily American Staff Writer
Friday, August 1, 2008 5:54 AM EDT
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STONYCREEK TOWNSHIP — More than 200 motorcycles roared to the Flight 93 temporary memorial Thursday.
The National Association of Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club formed a line about a mile long when they traveled from Seven Springs to the memorial to pay tribute to the heroes of Flight 93. The majority of the members, who represent chapters from across the United States, visited the site for the first time Thursday, club founder Ken Thomas said.
“For a lot of us, this is our first time visiting Pennsylvania,” he said.
The group marched down to the site in formation and presented a wreath.
Barbara Black, memorial archivist, said the National Park Service was privileged and proud the group visited the memorial.
“The Buffalo Soldiers have been lovers of freedom and bravery and courage,” she said, addressing the crowd. “Just as the passengers and crew of Flight 93 were as well.”
National President Thomas Costley said, like the Buffalo Soldiers, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 fought a battle.
“But unlike the Buffalo Soldiers, the 33 passengers and seven crew members did not have a .45-caliber strapped to their hip or a rifle on their horse,” he said. “They had to come up with an idea and a strategy in a matter of moments. This is a battle field indeed. There was a battle before their death. They did all they could to save other Americans. We have to recognize these heroes as much as we recognize any hero we read about in history books.”
Thomas encouraged people to learn more about the Buffalo Soldiers, a group of former slaves, freeman and black Civil War soldiers who served America during peacetime.
“We love our country,” he told the crowd. “That’s why we are here.”
The group also gave the park service $500 for the construction of the Flight 93 National Memorial.
“This will help us to build the memorial,” Black said while accepting the check.
After the ceremony, the visitors took time to take photographs and tour the temporary memorial.
William Shields, who was part of the wreath ceremony, said he was moved by his first visit to the site. He plans on visiting again once the memorial is built.
“This is hallowed ground,” he said. “Shanksville is such a mystical place.”
Sam Pearson of northern Virginia described his first visit to the site as touching and beautiful.
“You can’t really put it into words,” he said. “All I can do is just pray. And say thank you. There were a lot of brave warriors on that flight.”
Part of the run was used to raise money for breast cancer research. Jan Emanuel, a breast cancer survivor from New Jersey, founded the Dare to be a Diva motorcycle run. She said Buffalo Soldier groups in different states help with the ride. She said they meet at Harley Davidson dealerships. In its first two years, they donated $75,000 to cancer research.
“We’re at the halfway point this year and have already raised $23,000,” she said.
Thomas said the motorcycle club is made up of active and retired military personnel, troopers and other law enforcement officers, and white- and blue-collar workers.
“It’s a lot of good people,” he said.
The Somerset County Sheriff’s Department provided an escort from Seven Springs to the site with the help of local law enforcement.
“It was great,” Thomas said. “Their cooperation with us was incredible.”
Sheriff John Mankey said everything went smoothly.
“There wasn’t anything close to an incident,” he said. “Everyone was cooperative. They were a nice group of people, very safe, very nice. We thank everyone involved and everyone who chipped in to make it work.”
(Michelle Ganassi can be reached at michelleg@dailyamerican.com.
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