The final words of a man who tried to prevent a plane hijacking during the September 11 attacks were transmitted via radio. Nearly 23 years later, this event remains the most devastating act of terrorism in the 243-year history of the United States, leaving a lasting impact on our collective memory.
The world watched as 19 hijackers seized control of four planes. American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City. Meanwhile, American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon in Washington D.C., with its original target being the White House. United Airlines Flight 93, on course to the nation’s capital, also played a tragic role in this catastrophe.
After a passenger revolt, the aircraft crashed into a Pennsylvania field. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 2,977 individuals at the various impacted sites, with no survivors from any of the flights. Recently uncovered audio recordings from the hijacked planes reveal the immense fear experienced by those on board. Among these recordings was the voice of Todd Beamer, an account manager for Oracle Corporation from Cranbury, New Jersey.
He was a passenger on United Airlines Flight 93, which ultimately crashed into a field in Stonycreek Township near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Beamer’s legacy is carried on by his wife Lisa, their sons David and Drew, and daughter Morgan Kay, who was born four months after the events of 9/11. Beamer and other passengers communicated with contacts via in-flight and cellular phones, learning that the World Trade Center had been struck by other hijacked commercial jets.
Attempting to make an in-flight credit card call, the account manager was connected to a customer service agent and then to a supervisor named Lisa Jefferson. He informed her of a passenger’s death and learned from a flight attendant that the pilots had been ejected from the cockpit and were likely injured. Jefferson sensed his alarm as the aircraft veered southeastward. He later confided in her about the passengers’ plan to confront the hijackers.
Jefferson recalled that Beamer’s final discernible words were, “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.” This phrase would resonate profoundly, eventually becoming a rallying cry for U.S. troops engaging Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. While it was commonly believed that the passengers deliberately downed the plane to prevent further casualties on the ground, the 9/11 Commission’s report, based on the cockpit voice recorder data, indicated that the passengers’ actions did not intentionally cause the crash.
The passengers bravely stormed the cockpit, engaging in a struggle with the hijackers for control of the aircraft. Tragically, the plane crashed into a field, resulting in the loss of all on board but sparing lives on the ground. In honor of Beamer, a post office in Cranbury, New Jersey, is named after him, and the Todd Beamer High School is located in Federal Way, Washington.
Wheaton College also pays tribute to him through the Todd M. Beamer Student Center. Celebrated as a national hero, Beamer is widely recognized for his role in preventing further destruction in the US capital, and the collective bravery of all those aboard Flight 93 is highly honored.