John Ogonowski

John A. Ogonowski (February 24, 1949 – September 11, 2001) was a pilot and an agricultural activist. A resident of Dracut, Massachusetts, Ogonowski was a leading figure on behalf of farming in Massachusetts, particularly for immigrant farmers from Cambodia, whom he assisted as part of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project.

He went to a school at Keith Academy, Lowell. He was a pilot in the U. S. Air Force for seven years. From 1978 to the end of his life, Ogonowski flew airplanes for American Airlines. He died on September 11, 2001, when the airplane he was flying, American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center.

It is believed that he was stabbed to death before the plane had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Before dying, he managed to engage the aircraft's radio system to allow air traffic control to listen to the terrorists' conversations in the aircraft's cabin.

A remote controlled model aircraft flying field in nearby Tewksbury, Massachusetts has been dedicated to Captain Ogonowski. [ [http://www.495thsquadron.org/Fields.htm Captain John A. Ogonowski Memorial Model Flying Field" (Pinnacle Street) - Tewksbury, Massachusetts] at The 495th R/C Squadron ] An alumnus of the University of Massachusetts Lowell, the institution posthumously presented him with an honorary doctorate at the 2003 commencement ceremony at Tsongas Arena.

Ogonowski is survived by a wife and three daughters: wife Margaret and daughters Laura, Caroline, and Mary Katherine. His younger brother, Jim Ogonowski, who is also an agricultural activist, made an unsuccessful run for the United States House of Representatives in 2007.

References

* [http://www.legacy.com/Sept11/Story.aspx?Page=Story&PersonID=91729 Captain John Ogonowski] at Legacy.com