Honoring the Flight Crews That Died Nine Years Ago Today

I know, it’s Saturday, so you’re expecting Cranky on the Web, right? Well that’s going to have to wait, because today is not just any Saturday. It’s September 11th.

Believe it or not, this is actually the fifth September 11th that I’ve written a post, and it’s the fourth in which I’ve followed Holly Hegeman’s tradition of publishing the names of the flight crews killed that day.

So, let’s focus on those airline employees who lost their lives just doing their jobs. Please read through the following names and remember what they went through nine years ago today.

American 11 (Boston to Los Angeles)
Crashed into World Trade Center
John Ogonowski, Dracut, Mass., Captain; Thomas McGuinness, Portsmouth, N.H., First Officer; Barbara Arestegui, flight attendant; Jeffrey Collman, flight attendant; Sara Low, flight attendant; Karen Martin, flight attendant; Kathleen Nicosia, flight attendant; Betty Ong, flight attendant; Jean Roger, flight attendant; Dianne Snyder, flight attendant; Madeline Sweeney, flight attendant

United 175 (Boston to Los Angeles)
Crashed into World Trade Center
Victor J. Saracini, Lower Makefield Township, Pa., Captain; Michael Horrocks, First Officer; Amy Jarret, flight attendant; Al Marchand, flight attendant; Amy King, flight attendant; Kathryn Laborie, flight attendant; Michael Tarrou, flight attendant; Alicia Titus, flight attendant

American 77 (Washington/Dulles to Los Angeles)
Crashed into the Pentagon
Charles Burlingame, Captain; David Charlebois, First Officer; Michele Heidenberger, flight attendant; Jennifer Lewis, flight attendant; Kenneth Lewis, flight attendant; and Renee May, flight attendant

United 93 (Newark to San Francisco)
Crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Jason Dahl, Colorado, Captain; Leroy Homer, Marlton, N.J., First Officer; Sandy Bradshaw, flight attendant; CeeCee Lyles, flight attendant; Lorraine Bay, flight attendant; Wanda Green, flight attendant; Deborah Welsh, flight attendant

[Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79493961@N00/ / CC BY-SA 2.0]

Brett

22 responses to “Honoring the Flight Crews That Died Nine Years Ago Today”

Phil

Sep 11, 2010

Cranky,

Normally I’m a devout follower of your blog, but just because Holly does something doesn’t mean you should too.

9/11 was tragic, killed many people and still causes suffering today, but every time I see another article like this, it feels like I’m being scolded for not mourning enough.

This event should not be forgotten – It was an exceptional time in American history – But the reviews belong in history books, classroom books and in the hearts of the relatives who lost loved ones.

A 3-line tagline like the NY Times does for every day of the year? Sure! But just listing names and asking me to “remember what they went through” is wrong. I’m tired of being scolded.

Am I the only one that feels this way?

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1. Hunter
  
  Sep 11, 2010
  
  I can’t help but think if you read something like this and feel as though you’re being scolded, the problem doesn’t lie with the author or the one posting. I’m sorry, but no, I don’t feel the same way, and there is no scolding in honoring those who have fallen by listing their names for one day. I know that many firehouses and precincts around NYC will be doing the same with their fallen comrades’ names.
  
  Rather than take affront at such an effort, I’d suggest pausing for a moment and remembering or thanking. Or not. But don’t gripe about it.
  
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2. FLIGHT ATTENDANT
  
  May 12, 2015
  
  PHIL, hope to have you on a flight one day & you have a medical emergency….instead of ” HELPING” you, i’ll “SCOLD” you!!
  
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Rosalind

Sep 11, 2010

Scolded? This is just about remembering people.

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John Sweeney

Sep 11, 2010

Thank you for this. I believe there should be a memorial to all airline personnel who have died while on duty, both in the air as well as on the ground

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Pete Roker

Sep 11, 2010

To Phil & Cranky,

My first thought when I read the post was “Good on Cranky” for making the time to have us TAKE the time to remember. It doesn’t really matter whether the names are posted, I think we all remember the event in pain staking vivid detail. I doubt very much there’s any one who wasn’t affected by the tragedy of 9/11.

Phil, you raise a good point, but I do not think Cranky’s post was intended to scold us – just have us consider the humanity and the legacy of 9/11. I suppose there would/should be many more names listed as well? Unfortunately, too many to list. All very sad indeed.

Pete

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mjinco64

Sep 11, 2010

Cranky…Bravo for posting this on your blog. Although I am not an airline employee at all (Retired Army NCO), this day should be remembered by all Americans, regardless of faith. Keep up the good work and I enjoy reading the information you put out.

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Brad

Sep 11, 2010

Nice to see a tribute to the crews! Well done Cranky! I find it hard to imagine anyone would feel scolded by this memorial. As we learned with the horrors of WWII and other tragedies, to remember and memorialize is to help ensure it will never happen again.

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CF

Sep 11, 2010

Sarah’s comment has been removed. While I may disagree with Phil’s comment, there was nothing necessarily hateful in it. People are more than welcome to disagree with me, but Sarah’s was hateful and I won’t tolerate that. I’ve actually been fairly liberal on my comment policy as I’ve seen comments become more and more angry. I’m considering making some changes to that policy. The more hateful comments that I allow, the less likely others are to participate.

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Jay Bee

Sep 11, 2010

All I can say is “WOW.” When we forget what happened on 09/11 then I will be scared.

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Dan

Sep 12, 2010

As a flight attendant I am very sadden to read that just because CF wanted us to remember the flight crews some of you are taking it as a personal attack. There has not been many tributes that I can remember just for the flight crews. Just a bunch of partisan movies books and other things that had no problems capitalizing off the people who were the first casualities of 9\11.

There freedom that many of you may never have taken from you at your places of employment are discussed deeply at mine. Because truth is I have more of a chance of that being taken away during my job than you do with yours.

I applaud you CF. Thank you very much.

-Dan

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AA-Platinum

Sep 12, 2010

Unlike anyone else who has posted here; I lived through 9/11. The first plane (AA-11) went right over my head and I saw it plow into the North Tower. I watched from my office window as UA-175 went into the South Tower). My brother was saved only by a double booking, while his former girlfriend is lucky to be alive. My cousin was swallowed up by the cloud of dust and ash (that so many people have seen) created by the collapse of the South Tower. Finally, I lost several friends that day.

Thank you Cranky for remembering a segment of those who were murdered that day. This was a defining moment in not only American aviation history, but in American history. It fundamentally changed this country forever.

Phil: No one is scolding you by asking everyone to take a minute and remember victims of the greatest single day of mass murder since WWII. However, please do not begrudge those of us who survived that day…or others who want to join us in commemorating this event.

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Toni

Sep 12, 2010

The e-mail has a “subject” line. If I didn’t want to read it and be “scolded” I could choose to hit the “delete” key. As an ex-AA employee, I read it & thank you for the post.

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David Parker Brown

Sep 12, 2010

Thanks Brett for this. A lot of attention is put on the people in the towers, the emergency personal and passengers. Not enough is given to the flight crews who were also part of 9/11!

David

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Bobber

Sep 13, 2010

Totally appropriate tribute, Cranky – I’m not sure the events of that day will ever cease to be shocking.

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JamesK

Sep 14, 2010

CF, tasteful and on point. During my time with DL in ATL, I had a handful of UA crewmembers who would jumpseat on one of my flights. This was during the heady days of the DL-UA partnership that ultimately went nowhere. I wish I could remember the names of those pilots and F/As, and I’m haunted to this day when I see a list of the crewmembers of those four flights. Do I recognize one, or is my mind playing tricks on me?

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Becca

Mar 6, 2011

I just read all of these postings several months later, because it occurred to me that I had never seen a list of the UA personnel who perished on 9/11. I thank you, Cranky, for taking the time to list those names. As a former UA flight attendant and someone who worked for a charter company with many former AA personnel, I wanted to see if any of my former flying partners had been on those fateful flights. I am most appreciative of the fact that I did not encounter the names of any friends, but even more appreciative of the fact that you recognized those individuals who did give their lives on that terrible day.

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Thara

Oct 21, 2015

I’m a daughter of one of the WTC N Tower victims. On 9/11, I was only one year old. I don’t remember much about that day as I was a baby. My dad was also killed doing his job at the WTC Tower One.

For many years, my mom chose not to attend the public memorial services in NYC. We grieved privately at our local church in Connecticut instead. But eventually about 1 year ago, Mom took me and my sister to NYC for the remembrance service.

It was our first time attending the service and viewing the fountains as well. Please don’t criticize my mom for not attending the annual public memorial service. My mom misses my dad tremendously. I was so young I don’t remember a time when flying was easy.

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Thara

Oct 21, 2015

Part Two

Sorry we were 3 months old that day. My mom cried on her bed. My grandma respecting her privacy, watched us. My parents weren’t married as they were young.

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Thara

Oct 21, 2015

And I’m proud to be a leftist. Both my parents were left wing when it came to politics.

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Donna

Jul 19, 2019

I realize this post was from many years ago but I just read the tribute to the Flight Crew and thought how special to honor those who I feel really didn’t get much recognition for the heroic acts they did under such horrific circumstances. I’m in the process of being a FA which prompted me to look at all the angles of being a FA and it is not the glamorous job people think it is. FA’s have to deal with so many things besides handing out crackers and drinks. The responsibility is overwhelming and Phil…you should honestly apologize for saying you were being scolded. My God…have you really watched those planes going into the WTC? Imagine a family member or friend that you loved being on those planes and having to relive what those people were going thru knowing their end result. The fact that someone wants to remember these FA’s you feel your being scolded? This wasn’t about you! This was about that these people were DOING a job and died doing it! You were not on those planes living thru the horror they did. Yet..somehow they were brave enough to try and help under such terrible circumstances. I don’t know Phil what your Job is but I certainly hope that one day you will not be faced with the horrific outcome these Crewmembers were faced with in the last moments of there life. The world has lost the empathy we all need and it is so sad to see where it’s going!

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