Port Authority donates Newark gate sign used by Flight 93 for national memorial

Newark Liberty International Airport has undergone significant changes since then. The Port Authority opened a new Terminal A in 2023 after demolishing its predecessor, which had been in operation since 1973. The original Gate A17 sign was preserved before demolition began and stored until it was decided that it would be donated to honor UA93 at Shanksville’s memorial.

The Flight 93 National Memorial stands at the crash site and honors those onboard with several features including a Wall of Names with marble panels listing all victims except for hijackers, a Tower of Voices monument with wind chimes representing each victim, and a visitor center housing various artifacts such as the newly added Gate A17 sign.

On September 11, 2001, four U.S. airliners were seized by al-Qaeda operatives: two American Airlines flights (AA11 and AA77) and two United Airlines flights (UA175 and UA93). AA11 and UA175 were flown into New York City’s World Trade Center towers; AA77 struck the Pentagon; UA93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to regain control of their plane from hijackers. The intended target for UA93 remains uncertain but is believed by some experts to have been either the U.S. Capitol or White House.

In total, excluding hijackers, nearly three thousand people died as a result of these coordinated attacks—the deadliest acts of terrorism in history—and thousands more were injured. In response, U.S. airspace closed for two days following September 11th and aviation security protocols underwent major revisions including changes to cockpit door design.