John Ogonowski

John Alexander Ogonowski (February 24, 1951 – September 11, 2001) was an American pilot and an agricultural activist. A resident of Dracut, Massachusetts, Ogonowski was a leading advocate on behalf of farming in Massachusetts, particularly in aiding immigrant farmers from Cambodia,[2] whom he assisted as part of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. He was the Captain of American Airlines Flight 11, which was hijacked by terrorists and flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center as part of the September 11 attacks. He is believed to have been killed by the hijackers prior to the crash.

John Ogonowski
Born(1951-02-24)February 24, 1951
Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.[1]
DiedSeptember 11, 2001(2001-09-11) (aged 50)
Aboard American Airlines Flight 11
NationalityAmerican
OccupationPilot
SpouseMargaret "Peggy" Ogonowski
Children3
Ogonowski's name is located on Panel N-74 of the National September 11 Memorial’s North Pool, along with those of the other passengers and crew of American Airlines Flight 11.

Biography

John Alexander Ogonowski was born February 24, 1951, in Lowell, Massachusetts, where he was raised.[1] He attended St. Stanislaus School, Keith Academy in Lowell. He attended Lowell Technological Institute (now the University of Massachusetts Lowell), where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity.[1][3] He graduated in 1972 with a bachelor of science degree in Nuclear Engineering.

Ogonowski was a pilot in the U. S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, assigned to Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, ferrying equipment to Asia and sometimes transporting the bodies of fallen American soldiers in C-141 transport aircraft. Following his service commitment, he resigned his commission under honorable conditions and separated from the military with the rank of captain.[1][4]

Ogonowski became a commercial pilot in 1978. For 23 years, he flew airplanes for American Airlines, and was a member of the Allied Pilot Association.[1][5] Ogonowski had joined the airline as a flight engineer after previously serving that role in the Air Force.[6]

During the course of his commercial piloting career, he met Margaret, a flight attendant[1][5] who went by the nickname "Peggy",[7] whom he later married.[1][5]

Ogonowski was also an avid farmer, who secured 150 acres of farmland on Marsh Hill Road in Dracut through the federal Agriculture Preservation Restriction program. He raised hay, corn, pumpkins, blueberries, and peaches.[1] He was a leading advocate for farming in Massachusetts, particularly in aiding immigrant farmers from Cambodia.[2]

September 11 attacks

Ogonowski was killed on September 11, 2001, while at the controls during the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11.[1][6] Following his murder, the airplane was crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.[8]

Legacy

Ogonowski was survived by his wife Margaret and daughters Laura, Caroline, and Mary Catherine.[5] His younger brother, Jim Ogonowski, who is also an agricultural activist, made an unsuccessful run for the United States House of Representatives in 2007.[9]

In 2002, Ogonowski and Flight 11 flight attendants Betty Ong and Madeline Amy Sweeney were the inaugural recipients of the Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery,[10][11] an honor that the Government of Massachusetts instituted to award annually at least one Massachusetts resident for displaying extraordinary courage in defending or saving the lives of others.[12]

A remote controlled model aircraft flying field in nearby Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was dedicated to Ogonowski.[13]

The University of Massachusetts Lowell, presented Ogonowski with a posthumous honorary doctorate at its 2003 commencement ceremony at Tsongas Arena.[3]

The USAID Farmer to Farmer program was renamed the "John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter FTF Program" as part of the 2008 Farm Bill.[14]

At the National 9/11 Memorial, Ogonowski is memorialized at the North Pool, on Panel N-74, adjacent to the name of Kathleen A. Nicosia, a friend and flight attendant also killed on board American Airlines Flight 11 that day.[15]

See also

References
  1. "John Ogonowski, of Dracut, pilot for American Airlines". Remember September 11, 2001. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  2. "Niki Tsongas Backs Away From Supporter's Attack on Opponent With Notable Family History". Fox News. October 13, 2007. Archived from the original on June 6, 2010. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  3. 2010 Pi Lambda Phi Membership Directory
  4. "John Ogonowski: Captain on the Farm". The New York Times. December 3, 2001. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  5. Rosin, Hanna; Ferdinand, Pamela (September 12, 2001). "At Logan Airport, Nobody Saw Plane's Sharp Turn South". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. Zuckoff, Mitchell (September 16, 2001). "Reliving the morning of death". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  7. Perry, David (September 11, 2006). "For pilot's widow, life goes on. 'It has to.'". The Lowell Sun.
  8. Hanna Rosin; Pamela Ferdinand (September 12, 2001). "At Logan Airport, Nobody Saw Plane's Sharp Turn South". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  9. Edward Mason; Crystal Bozek (2007-10-17). "Tsongas wins tight race". Eagle Tribune. Archived from the original on 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  10. "Flight 11 crew honored for civilian bravery". Associated Press. February 12, 2002. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2021 – via The Standard-Times.
  11. Tangeny, Chris (February 12, 2002). "Heroes' Moment Honors Trio on Flight 11 Will Recognize Courage". The Boston Globe. ProQuest 405443436.
  12. "Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery: 2006 Nomination Form". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 2006. Archived from the original on June 8, 2006.
  13. Captain John A. Ogonowski Memorial Model Flying Field" (Pinnacle Street) - Tewksbury, Massachusetts Archived 2007-09-04 at the Wayback Machine at The 495th R/C Squadron
  14. The John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program US Agency for International Development
  15. "North Pool: Panel N-74 - John A. Ogonowski". National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Archived from the original on July 27, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
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