John Ogonowski
John Alexander Ogonowski (* 24. February 1951 in Lowell , Massachusetts ; † 11. September 2001 on New York ) was an American pilot of the airline American Airlines . He was the pilot of AA 11 (American Airlines Flight 11), whose plane was flown into the north tower of the World Trade Center in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 .
Childhood and youth
John Ogonowski was born in Lowell on February 24, 1951. Here he grew up and attended Lowell Catholic High School . At the Technical University (now the University of Massachusetts Lowell ) he made his bachelor's degree in engineering with a focus on nuclear science.
Professional development
John Ogonowski joined the United States Air Force and became a pilot. During the Vietnam War he was stationed at the Air Force Base in Charleston in the US state of South Carolina . As a pilot of a Lockheed C-141 , he was involved in supply flights to Asia and in the transport of fallen US soldiers. With the rank of captain he left the US Air Force at the end of the war.
In 1978 Ogonowski became a pilot at American Airlines. He was the airline's captain for 23 years and became a member of the Allied Pilot Association . During his career he met the flight attendant Margaret La Valle, whom he later married.
He was used on transcontinental flights twelve days a month. In his spare time, he ran his 60-acre farm in Dracut , Massachusetts. Here he lived with his wife Margaret and their three daughters Laura, Caroline and Mary Katherine. He grew wheat and pumpkins on his farm. Peaches and blueberries were grown in an orchard.
John Ogonowski was involved in various organizations. He was a member of the local farmers 'association and various veterans' associations such as B. the American Legion . He was a board member of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau . As a member of the local state trust agency ( Dracut Land Trust Inc. ) he was involved in the preservation of free land for future generations.
AA 11
On September 11, 2001, John Ogonowski was assigned to pilot American Airlines Flight 11. The flight was supposed to be from Logan International Airport in Boston to Los Angeles . 81 passengers and eleven crew members were on board the Boeing 767-223ER . The start took place with a 14-minute delay at 7.59 a.m. local time. At 8:14 a.m., the plane was hijacked by five terrorists. Captain Ogonowski and First Officer Thomas McGuinness were murdered. Two flight attendants and one passenger were also murdered during the capture. The terrorists, led by Mohammed Atta , directed the plane to New York and let it fly into the north tower of the World Trade Center. All inmates including the terrorists were killed.
Honors
A model airplane airfield in Tewksbury , Massachusetts is dedicated to Captain Ogonowski. In 2003 he was posthumously awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts.
The project Farmer to Farmer of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was the 2008 John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter FTF Program renamed.
In the National September 11 Memorial and Museum , John Ogonowski's name is engraved on panel 74 of the North Pool .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Ogonowski, John |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Ogonowski, John Alexander (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American pilot |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 24, 1951 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Lowell , Massachusetts |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 11, 2001 |
| Place of death | New York City |