Honoring the Victims of September 11
An overflow crowd of pilots and staff assembled in ALPA’s 9/11 Memorial Garden in Herndon, Va., this morning to remember those lost to the terrorist attacks 13 years ago.
Led by Capt. Lee Moak, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), the gathering honored the memory of the passengers and crews of United Flight 175, United Flight 93, American Airlines Flight 11, and American Airlines Flight 77 with a reading of the names of the crewmembers. And Capt. Moak reiterated the spirit of resilience that continues in memory of those lost souls.
“Yes, 13 years ago, our lives changed dramatically—some more so than others,” he stated, “but all of us resolved to carry forward the legacy of their sacrifice, and with the renewed awareness of vigilance, we pledge to be the guardians of their spirit and protect the memories of our lost friends and colleagues. We also pledge to be the guardians of our profession. And we pledge to be the guardians of safe and secure skies.”
It’s as “the guardian of safe and secure skies” that ALPA persists in its work. ALPA continues to support and participate in the U.S. State Department’s Terrorism Information Reward Program; ALPA maintains a strong push for increased cargo security; ALPA carries on the fight for FFDO funding; and ALPA enduringly lobbies for the Saracini Aviation Safety Act, which will require the installation of a secondary barrier to the cockpit of every commercial aircraft.
“We will never falter in our determination to make commercial aviation as safe and secure as it can possibly be,” insisted Capt. Moak. Thirteen years after the horrific acts of Sept. 11, 2001, that determination remains strong and drives ALPA onward as the guardian of the profession.
In memory of:
United Flight 93: Capt. Jason Dahl; F/O LeRoy Homer, Jr.; and flight attendants Lorraine Bay, Sandra Bradshaw, Wanda Green, CeeCee Lyles, and Deborah Welsh.
United Flight 175: Capt. Victor Saracini; F/O Michael Horrocks; flight attendants Robert Fangman, Amy Jarret, Amy King, Kathryn Laborie, Alfred Marchand, Michael Tarrou, and Alicia Titus; and customer service representatives Marianne MacFarlane and Jesus Sanchez.
American Flight 11: Capt. John Ogonowski; F/O Thomas McGuinness; and flight attendants Barbara Arestegui, Jeffrey Collman, Sara Low, Karen Martin, Kathleen Nicosia, Betty Ong, Jean Roger, Dianne Snyder, and Madeline Sweeney.
American Flight 77: Capt. Charles Burlingame; F/O David Charlebois; and flight attendants Michele Heidenberger, Jennifer Lewis, Kenneth Lewis, and Renee May.
