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Crew
Fred Rudolph Gray was born on the 9th of December 1911, Denver Colorado to Ralph Charlton Gray (1881-1927) and Anna Struwe he grew up in Denver Colorado and was the eldest of four brothers James , Carl and Robert. His parents ran the Gray Flower Co. In 1927 his father died and the following year James died at age 17. Fred took up the father figure role and head of the family to his younger brothers. He began flying at a young age and took part in “Barnstorming” flights. These demonstration stunt flights were to showcase the flying abilities and the sturdy construction of the post-World War I era biplanes. This craze became highly popular in the roaring twenties and was one of the first examples of commercial aviation. He quickly caught the flying bug and introduced his brother Carl to flying, Carl was assigned to the Army Air Force whilst he flew as commercial pilot in the post war years for Braniff International, operating routes across North and South America. In 1939 he joined the then rebranded Continental Airlines based out of Denver and became quickly acquainted with the airline's new owner Robert F. Six, the two became good friends and would remain so until Fred’s death in 1962.
During the Second world war, Gray took part in the Air Transport Command, shuttling new and repaired aircraft to the war zones in Europe and the Pacific as part of Continental’s assistance during the war effort. Following the war, he married his beloved wife Darlene and in the early 1940s they adopted their first child, a daughter. As a close friend of Robert F. Six, Gray was also one his favourite pilots and often flew Six to his private ranch in Colorado where he often joined him along with other employees and executives. Grey was to those who knew him on a personal, professional and first-time basis as the epitome of not just an exemplary pilot but also that of a gentleman. He would often attend Continental training sessions in his trademark white shoes and a bright red carnation in his lapel. In early 1962 Fred and Darlene were expecting their second child in August and the couple had been in the process of locating a home in Palm Beach, California, flying in on his private plane from Denver. Fred had by May of 1962 accumulated an estimated 25,000 hours of flight time with 2,600 hours on the Boeing 707 which Continental had acquired in 1959. Captain Gray along with his good friend Captain Taneyhill were among the first to become qualified on the new jets at the Boeing training facility in Seattle.
On the 22nd of May 1962 Captain Gray was the Pilot-in-command of Continental Airlines flight 11 with First Officer Edward J. Sullivan and Second Officer/Flight Engineer Roger Dean Allen flying alongside him. For those he knew and loved, Fred Rudolph Gray left behind an incredible legacy and inspired many. His daughter was born several months following his passing and was named Fredianne in his honour. His brother Carl would pass on his love of flying to his son Craig who both would go on to have successful careers in commercial aviation.
Captain Fred R Gray
Edward Joseph Sullivan Sr was born on the 7th of July, 1920 in Youngstown Ohio, In Edwards’s youth his family moved from Ohio to Seattle Washington where aged 22 he began working the aircraft assembly line for the Boeing Aircraft Corporation in 1942, were he would develop a passion for both aviation mechanics and flying. During the Second World War he joined the U.S Air force and following his service he met and married his sweetheart Ceclia on the 12th of January 1952 in Chihuahua, Mexico were Cecilia was born.
The couple settled in El Paso, Texas in 1952 where they raised their five children Luisa, Magdalena, Carlos, Thomas and Edward Joseph Jr whilst he worked for Continental Airlines out of their El Paso hub. In June of 1960 Ceclia gave first to a baby boy they named Mitchell Louis Sullivan. Lois was born with severe Phocmelia and died in October of 1961. The loss of their son was a devastating blow to their family and the couple continued to support their family. Sullivan was a genial man who was very proud of his Irish heritage and was an excellent pilot with over 14,500 hours in flight time with 600 hours on the Boeing 707. He spent his time between his home in El Paso and Inglewood where he would stay during his layovers in Los Angeles.
On the 22nd of May 1962 Sullivan was rostered alongside Captain Fred R. Gray and Second Officer/Flight Engineer Roger Dean Allen on Continental Airlines flight 11. His wife Cecilia would never remarry and was devoted to the memory of her husband who she loved deeply. The trauma the family had to endure would carry through the years.
First Officer Edward J. Sullivan
Marilyn Irene Bloomquist was born on the 6th of January, 1937 to Harold Fredrick Bloomquist (1905-1988) and Selma Alena Anderson Bloomquist (1909-2002) and was the youngest of three children. In 1947 aged ten Marilyn and her family moved to Traverse City in Michigan where they opened a holiday resort along the shores of Spider Lake whilst Harold worked as a mechanic at Cone drive gears. She was regarded as not only incredibly beautiful with her glowing blonde hair but also a person of high intelligence. She graduated from Traverse City High School in 1955 and enrolled at Northwestern Michigan college in the fall of the same year. She would later go on to enroll at Wayne State University in Detroit.
Marilyn was an accomplished and passionate violinist and she performed in the high school’s orchestra and later in the string section of the Northwestern Michigan Symphony Orchestra. In 1959 she joined Continental Airlines as a hostess, a career she absolutely adored and was enthusiastic about despite her parents' stern reservations. “She was very enthusiastic about her work unfortunately. We tried to get her to quit, but she wanted to continue” her father Harold later recalled. She was initially based at Continental’s hubs in Midland and Odessa, Texas but by May of 1962 she had transferred to Los Angeles and resided in El Segundo.
On the 22nd of May 1962 Marilyn was rostered aboard Continental Airlines Flight 11 alongside Captain Fred Gray, First Officer Edward J. Sullivan, Second Officer Roger Dean Allen and her fellow cabin attendants, Director of Passenger services David Eric Olssen, Mary McGrath, Martha Rush and Stella Ann Berry.
F/A Marilyn I. Bloomquist
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David Eric Olssen “Sonney” was born on the 2nd of August 1922 in Las Animas, Colorado to Norman Andreas Olssen a Norwegian born immigrant and Esther Axecillia Marie Olssen a first-generation Swedish immigrant. Nicknamed “Sonney” due to his overly kind disposition and nature, David was raised on the dust bowl plains of Colorado during the height of the great depression. In 1928 his sister Norma was born and David became not just a brother, but a guardian who loved and cared for Norma greatly. He had the traditional nordic features with his handsome complexion, tall stature and light blonde hair and was a “classic Scandinavian”. In 1940, David moved to the sunny state of Florida to work on the Shell Oil rigs in the swelteringly hot Florida Keys.
In 1941 he enlisted in the United States Navy following the declaration of War following the Attack on Pearl Harbour and was stationed in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea as a Naval Mechanic servicing aircraft. He was sent behind the enemy lines on reconnaissance and to record the presence of enemy ships in the surrounding areas. Although he never wished to discuss his experiences, the war had a tremendous Impact upon him and he developed PTSD from his time in the war. Following the war he moved to Midland, Texas where he joined Continental Airlines as a customer service agent at the Midland Air Terminal in 1953.
He learnt how to fly on a Piper PA-20 Pacer in the same year and initially trained as a pilot and later a service attendant and Cabin Crew member. He was stationed in Los Angeles and in early 1960 he began working in the newly introduced position of the “Director of Passenger Services” (which was essentially the same role as a purser) aboard the newly introduced Boeing 707s. Although he was slightly older than most inflight Directors, David was known for his kind disposition and outgoing personality and was highly regarded amoungst his colleagues and passengers. By May of 1962, David was married to his second wife Mary, and the couple had two children, the family resided in Torrance, Los Angeles.
On the 22nd of May 1962, Olssen was rostered as the Director of Passenger Services aboard Continental Airlines Flight 11 alongside Captain Fred Gray, First Officer Edward J. Sullivan, Second Officer Roger Dean Allen and his fellow cabin attendants Marilyn L. Bloomquist, Mary McGrath, Martha Rush and Stella Ann Berry. David left behind his wife Mary and two children aged 2 and 1. David Olessen was an exceptional individual who overcame his struggles and persevered to provide for his family and to show a great deal of passion and care for his profession.
DPS David E. Olssen
Martha Joyce Rush was born on the 11th of August 1938 to Willard Edwin Rush (1914-1994) and Stella Martha Thorn (1913-1972) in Stamford Jones, Texas. Martha was the middle child of three, along with her older sister Janis and younger brother Edwin (1941-1990). The family grew up in Odessa, Texas where Willard worked in the Texan oil fields. In 1948 her parents divorced and her mother remarried to her stepfather Merle Lester Fletcher (1917-1996) whom she got along well with. She was a graduate of Odessa High School in 1956 and was voted in her high school yearbook as the “most dependable” student in her classes. She later moved to Denver where she attended the University of Colorado and graduated after two years. Upon her return to Texas she attended a modelling school in Dallas. Martha was a strikingly beautiful woman whose bright smile was always endearing to those who knew and met her. In 1959 she applied and was immediately accepted by Continental airlines for training in Los Angeles, she graduated in 1960 and moved to be based in Los Angeles.
On the 22nd of May 1962 Martha was rostered aboard Continental Airlines Flight 11 alongside Captain Fred Gray, First Officer Edward J. Sullivan, Second Officer Roger Dean Allen and her fellow cabin attendants, Director of Passenger services David Eric Oelssen, Marilyn L. Bloomquist, Mary McGrath and Stella Ann Berry. At the time of her death her mother and stepfather were overseas in the Middle east where Merle was working. Her parents later visited the town of Unionville where they met with the chief pathologist Dr Charles Judd whom they also thanked for the diligent and dignified work he and his colleagues carried out.
F/A Martha J Rush
Mary Rosalie McGrath was born on the 22nd of December, 1941 to Thomas F. McGrath and Rose L. O’Brien Mcgrath. Her parents were devout Catholics of Irish heritage and was a graduate of Trinity High School in River Forest, Illinois and she attended DePaul University. Thomas worked for the Chicago Transit Authority as an accountant whilst Rose looked after their home. Mary joined Continental airlines in early February and she graduated from the Continental training school on the 4th of March 1962. McGrath moved into an apartment complex in Indiana Court, El Segundo with 12 other Continental flight attendants. She was a beloved employee and was popular amongst her colleagues, many of whom she befriended.
On the 22nd of May 1962 Mary was rostered aboard Continental Airlines Flight 11 alongside Captain Fred Gray, First Officer Edward J. Sullivan, Second Officer Roger Dean Allen and her fellow cabin attendants, Director of Passenger services David Eric Oelssen, Marilyn L. Bloomquist, Martha Rush and Stella Ann Berry. Approximately an hour before she boarded flight 11, Mary called her father at his home in River Forest to let him know she was planning on visiting her parents on the 23rd of May on her two days off.
F/A Mary R. McGrath
Stella Ann Berry was born on the 9th of January 1941 to Selby Berry and Palma G. Berry in Richland County, Wisconsin. Stella, who was referred to by family as “Ann” was the eldest of four children, John, Phil and Mary. Stella grew up in Boaz Richland, her mother Palma worked as a cook at the Tomah High School as a cook and in her spare time enjoyed playing gin rummy, knitting and was regarded as an excellent cook and baker. Her father Selby was a dietetic worker following his service in World War 2 at the nearby Veterans hospital and the family regularly attended services at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. Stella attended Tomah High school and was known for her beaming smile and compassionate, considerate and caring personality and she was a popular student and was voted homecoming Queen.
In her spare time she taught baton twirling and was a drum “majorette” in the high school band. An avid skier, she was voted as a candidate for the Tomah queen of the Snowflake Ski Club and she competed in several competitions, mostly notably in the annual Westby Ski Tournament. Her sister in-law Donna Berry would later recall that “Ann was the kind of person who would take the younger girls under her wing” and “She always had the time to talk to me and make me feel special”. After she graduated in 1959, she moved to Phoenix where she worked as a secretary in a law firm. In 1961 she landed her dream job as a flight attendant for Continental Airlines and she moved to Los Angeles. On her graduation day she was voted class president. She graduated from the training school on the 15th of May, 1961 and was passionate about her job. Like her fellow stewardess Marilyn Bloomquist, her family had strong reservations about her new job which he thought was a dangerous profession.
On the 22nd of May 1962 Stella was filling in for her colleague Sandra Wagner on Continental Airlines Flight 11 alongside Captain Fred Gray, First Officer Edward J. Sullivan, Second Officer Roger Dean Allen and her fellow cabin attendants, Director of Passenger services David Eric Oelssen, Marilyn L. Bloomquist, Mary McGrath and Martha J. Rush. Stella had planned to stay with her parents on her scheduled four days off at their home in Tomah. They had planned to drive up to Chicago from Tomah on the 23rd to pick her up from O’hare, a reunion they would never have. At 2:30 am on the 23rd, they received a phone call from Continental’s Chicago office that Ann’s flight was delayed. The concerned parents then received another call at 4:30 am that the flight had crashed with no survivors.
F/A Stella Ann Berry
Passengers
Andrew Peter Roucka was born on the 3rd of December, 1929 to Joseph Roucka and Marie D. Roucka in Niles Center, Illinois. Joseph and Marie were naturalised immigrants from Czechoslovakia and Joseph was a truck driver by profession. He was the eldest of three children along with Joseph and Rosemary. Roucka served in the U.S armed forces and later married in the 1950s and had a daughter.
Following the end of his service he joined the maintenance department of a heating systems manufacturer. He would later go on to join the maintenance department of the Bell & Gossett corporation that specialised in the production of heat exchangers, pumps and other HVAC accessories. Roucka and his wife separated in 1962 and he moved into a small north side apartment in Chicago following the finalisation of their divorce settlement. On the evening of the 22nd of May, he was travelling onwards to Los Angeles for a vacation in California.
Andrew P. Roucka
Bedrich Pavel Hermann was born on the 25th January 1916 to Rudolph and Augusta Hermann in the western district of Praha, Czechoslovakia (now modern day Prague, Czech Republic). Age 22, both he and his family fled the country during the Nazi occupation in 1938 following the Nazi’s takeover of the Sudetenland. The family settled initially in the city of Trieste on the Northern coast of Italy. It was there in 1940 that he married his beloved wife Magdalena, a fellow Czech refugee from the region of Slavkov U Brna. The couple and the Herman family ultimately emigrated to the United States. In 1941 following the Invasion of Pearl Harbour, Fred and his brother Walter joined the Adjutant General's Corp of the U.S Army and were shipped out to the Philippine capital of Manila. In 1942, the two brothers found themselves fighting in the Battle of Bataan following the Japanese Invasion of the Philippines. It was during the intense 3 month long battle, that Walter was killed and Fred was taken prisoner along with over 75,000 other U.S and Philippine Commonwealth forces. From the 9th to the 17th of April, the Prisoners of War were marched 65 miles to various internment camps.
The prisoners were exposed to regular physical abuse and random killings. By the end of what would become known as the Bataan Death March, over 18,500 men, predominantly Philippine POWs, died. The trauma that Herman and his fellow soldiers had to endure would last another 4 years in the brutal Santos Tomas internment camp (the former campus of the University of Santos Tomas). Following the liberation of the camp and the end of the war Herman was reunited with Magda in Manilla. The couple returned to the U.S on the 26th of May, 1945 aboard the Matson lines SS Monterey in San Francisco. Following their arrival back in Michigan, Herman was awarded the Purple Heart medal and was presented with the American Medal of Freedom at his home on the 26th of September 1946. Fred and Magda became naturalized citizens in May of 1947. After several years of working as an accountant in both Windsor Ontario, Canada and Detroit and for an auto company, In 1955 he joined the Finance department of the Dodge Motors branch of Chrysler. By 1962, Fred, Magda and their two children John 16 and Miriam 13 resided in Dearborn, Michigan. Fred was a leading executive and was known for his excellent work ethic and was highly respected by his Colleagues.
On the 22nd of May, Herman and two fellow Dodge executives Virgil Mourning and Roger Welch were heading to Kansas City on business. The day before, the three had attended a board meeting at Chrysler's headquarters in Detroit. Jim Updyke, owner of Updyke motors in Kirksville, Missouri came to Unionville to Identify the three men. Updyke and his wife Wilma had intended to meet the three men in Kansas City. Herman’s funeral was held on the 28th of May at the Sacred Heart Church and was attended by his family and parents. Magda found it difficult to move onwards and later moved to Florida with her children. Herman had lived an extraordinary life and had transitioned from the painful and traumatic experiences of his early life into a successful and secure family he loved dearly.
Fred Herman.
Beauford Mack Carter was born on the 20th of December 1914 to James Everett Carter (1877-1953) and Mary R. Mack Carter (1883-1963) in Bosworth, Missouri. He was the second eldest of four children, his step brother Harold (1907) and his sisters Marjorie (1918) and Darline (1930). In 1937, he married Mary Elizbeth S Carter (1914-1994) in 1937 and the couple moved to Carrollton, Missouri where Beauford obtained work as a farmer. In 1938 they welcomed their first child William followed by Beverly (1940), Wendell (1941) and Marilyn (1944).
By 1955 the family had moved to Alden, Kansas and in the same year, Beauford joined the Michigan Wisconsin Transportation Natural Gas company as a compressor station superintendent in Sterling Michigan. His sons William and Wendell were both serving in the army and his youngest daughter Marilyn was in her final year at Alden High School. On the 22nd of May, Carter and five of his colleagues were returning from a meeting in Detroit via Chicago. Carter was looking forward to getting home to attend Marilyn’s upcoming graduation on Thursday, 24th of May.
Beauford M. Carter
David Donald Bowman was born on the 19th of April, 1926 to Roy Bowman and Gladys H. Bowman in Tiffin Missouri. Bowman was an only child. The family moved to St Clair, Missouri where David attended High school. In 1944 he registered for the draft and briefly served in combat until the end of the war. After leaving the armed forces, Bowman joined Petroleum Co in late 1945. On the 14th of July, 1946 he married his teenage sweetheart Virginia at the Baptist Church in Schell City. Presided over by Reverend Langston, the church was adorned with fresh baskets of gladioli and potted hydrangeas. A traditional three tiered white wedding cake accompanied by a fruit punch was served to the guests in the Southern wing of the church. The couple honeymooned at the Lake of the Ozarks for a week before moving into a small apartment in St Tiffin. The couple and their newborn son Bruce later moved into a small house in the quaint suburb of Shawnee in Misson, Kansas. The family were active members of the local Countryside Christian Church, Donald served as a deacon and financial secretary.
Prior to the 22nd of May, Bowman had been attending to business in Philadelphia for his employer City Service Oil Company where he held the position of manager of the stock of accounting department. He was traveling back to Kansas via Chicago and was connecting on Flight 11. His wife Virgina was among the many relatives waiting at the Municipal Airport where she stayed until the early morning hours when it was confirmed that there were no survivors.
David D. Bowman
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Jack Davis Alexander was born on the 25th of January 1932 to Vaughn E. Alexander and Lola J. Alexander in Enid, Oklahoma. The family relocated to Dallas, Texas in 1935 with his three siblings Lola, Lavonne and Donald. He graduated from Adamson High School in the fall of 1950 and enrolled at the University of North Texas for a semester. A talented Saxophonist, Alexander joined the prestigious jazz studies division Lab Band which was directed by Gene Hall. Following the outbreak of the Korean War in July of 1950, Alexander joined the U.S Army Special Service and served a three-year tour. Following his service he returned home to Dallas where he married his sweetheart Monte Hill Davis on the 23rd of August at the St David’s Episcopal Church. Davis was an accomplished Classical Pianist. At age 9 she performed Mozart’s D Major Concerto alongside the Houston Symphony Orchestra to critical acclaim.
During her time at Denton High School she studied under the accomplished Dr Silvio and Isabel Sconti. She later attended the University of Texas earning a Bachelor of Music in Piano. She attended numerous competitions across Europe and in 1952. she was awarded the silver medal at the Geneva international competition. In 1953 she came second place at the Ferruccio Busoni International Competition in Bolzano, Italy, following the competition she returned home to marry Alexander. Their combined love of music drew them together and he would often accompany her in Europe and South America. In the same year Davis won first prize at the International Competition in Munich, Alexander was an account executive for PAMS Production Inc which produced jingles for advertising and radio broadcasts. In 1960 he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University where Davis was a music teacher. He was a partner and later Vice President of Futuresonic Productions inc. The couple had two children Monte Ann and Katherine and the family resided in Dallas.
On the 22nd of May, Alexander was traveling onwards to Kansas City for business. Davis was devastated by his loss and she never remarried. She continued her musical career as a teacher and later studied in London under IIona Kabos in 1963. She continued to perform and teach in her later years and was beloved by both her family and students, Davis passed away in 2018.
Jack D. Alexander
Geneva Opal Greenwood was born on the 16th of January, 1930 to Karl Westley Greenwood (1905-1981) and Martha A. Greenwood (1919-2001) in Harrisonville, Missouri. Geneva, also known as “Jean” was the eldest child and was later joined by Hazel (1932) and Annabell (1933). Jean grew up in Osage Camden, Missouri and her family were devout protestant christians. In 1947, Jean married her beloved Melvin “Melvie” Leroy Fraley (1926-1981) who had served in the U.S Navy during World War II. Melvin was discharged from the Navy in March of 1946 and the couple settled in Waverly, Kansas with their first born daughter Pamela Jean (1947) and was quickly followed by a son Steven (1949). Melvin began working as an auto mechanic and Geneva stayed at home to raise their children. The couple later moved into a small house in Independence, Missouri. The family would attend weekly services at the nearby First Methodist Church and she became friendly with the Reverend Edward Akers. Jean was described by her many friends and colleagues as a kind, endearing, caring, devoted mother and wife. With her immaculate coiffed blonde hair and sophisticated sense of style she was unforgettable to anyone she met. In April of 1961, Fraley joined Luziers Cosmetics as a trainee sales manager and within several days she became accustomed to the job. Within a few months she had worked her way up to the position of Assistant Sales Manager at Luziers headquarters in Independence. Jean had always wanted to start her own business, and a close acquaintance said she had the most vivacious and dynamic approach to business. She became good friends with two of her colleagues who found common ground. All three had offered suggestions and proposed changes in Luziers approach to their marketing strategies. These had been ignored repeatedly by the company and the trio over lengthy conversations agreed to join each other in a multi partnership. Jean had been interested in opening a home furnishings/decoration store and decided upon the name “Gracious Homes”.
On the 22nd of May 1962, she was returning home from a business trip to Chicago to scout out merchandise for the store which was scheduled to open in early June. She left behind her beloved Melvie and her two children Pamela Jean age 15 and Steven age 13. Her funeral on the 29th of May was attended by over 250 people in the First Methodist Church. Reverend Akers gave a eulogy that not only praised Jean’s devotion to her faith but to most of all her family. In the years since the crash of Flight 11, unsubstantiated rumors and baseless stories have been written, which overtime twisted the public perception of Mrs Fraley. Jean was an innocent victim in a violent and senseless crime, but above all, she was an elegant, dignified and devoted wife and mother.
Geneva O. Fraley
James Raymond Webb was born on the 17th of May 1925 to Paul S. Webb and Alice Beaudet in Glendale, California. He grew up in Los Angeles as the second eldest of five children Eliabeth, Mary, Jane and Jack. The family later moved to Boulder City, Nevada. Webb joined the draft and entered the U.S Army following the war in 1945. After leaving the army he joined the Norair division of Northrop Aeronautics in 1951 where he would stay for another 8 years. During his time at Northrop in 1957, he oversaw the development of Project Space track as well as the Shillelagh Anti-Tank Missile.
On the 8th of August 1953 he married Patricia E. Webb. Patricia's parents had immigrated from Ireland settling in Canada before they moved to California in 1919 where they were naturalised. The couple settled in Los Angeles raising their four children James, Virginia, Carolyn and Michael-Paul. In 1959 he moved to the Aeronautics division of Ford located in Newport Beach. He would rejoin Northrop/Nortronics in their Anaheim Division as a General Supervisor in the Engineering department on the 30th of April 1962. On the 22nd of May he was returning home to Los Angeles on Flight 11 from a business meeting in Detroit, he celebrated his 37th birthday 5 days prior.
James R. Webb
Robert Calvin Gach was born on the 11th of November 1929 in Chicago, Illinois to Eric Gach and Anna Louise Schmit Gach, Robert was an only child, and his parents were first generation immigrants from Germany and Austria. The family were devout Christians and throughout his life, Gach was an active member in his local church St Pauls Union. Gach attended Morgan Park High school and in 1950 he joined the University of Illinois and was a member of the Illini Christian Fellowship. The fellowship of one of 300 chapters of the international Intervarsity Christian Fellowship organization. The fellowship focused on combining spiritual and intellectual teaching with combining social activity and organized events.
Following his graduation Gach worked as an accountant and on the 27th of December 1952 he married Joyce (nee Howard) Gach and in the following years they had two children, Ruth in 1954 and Kenneth 1959. Gach was a leader in Youth affairs, member and superintendent of the senior department for the St Pauls Union Sunday school. In late 1959 joined the Chicago Branch of Peat, Marwick, Mitchel and company, a leading national accounting firm based in New York City. A requirement of his position (manager of the management control department) was to make routine business trips across the country and he was a frequent flier of Continental Airlines.
In May of 1962, the Chicago branch had just audited reports for the county public offices of St Clair, Michigan. Gach had been working in Kansas City since the start of May and on the 18th of May he returned to Chicago to spend the next four days with his family. On the afternoon of the 22nd of May, Gach rented a white convertible and drove to O'Hare airport for the return trip to Kansas City that evening on Flight 11. His funeral was held on the 27th of May 1962 at the St Paul's Union Church which was overflowing with mourners and those who came to pay respects to a beloved member of their congregation and community.
Robert C. Gach.
Welch was Born on the 25th of January 1917 to George W. Welch and Elsie Z. Welch in Marshall, Michigan. He grew up in Marshall with his older brother Allen. He was a graduate of Marshall High school and later Michigan State University. In 1940 he moved to Jacksonville, Florida to take a position with Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. and later joined a Chrysler Motors dealer. It was in Jacksonville that he met and married his sweetheart Patricia. In 1942 he volunteered in the 8th division of the U.S Air force in England. He flew the legendary P-51 Mustang and following the end of the war he retired from the armed forces with the rank of Captain. Following this he rejoined Chrysler Motors Doge division and became the manager of the Detroit branch. From 1950 to 1958 he served as the regional manager for Dodge Motors In St Louis and New York and district manager in Cleveland, Little rock, Arkansas and Kankakee, Illinois. He would often attend and was a regular keynote speaker at conventions in Detroit. In 1958 he was promoted to the position of assistant sales manager. The family resided in the quiet suburbs of Grosse Pointe, just a stone's throw away from the western shores of Lake Michigan. By 1962, Roger and Patricia had three children Linda 20, Richard 14 and Nancy 4. Like her father before her, Linda was a student of Michigan State and Richard was a student of Grosse Pointe High school. On the 22nd of May, Welch and two fellow Dodge executives Virgil Mourning and Fred P. Herman was heading to Kansas City on business. The day before, the three had attended a board meeting at Chrysler's headquarters in Detroit. Jim Updyke, owner of Updyke motors in Kirksville, Missouri came to Unionville to Identify the three men. Updyke and his wife Wilma had intended to meet the three men in Kansas City. At the time of the crash, Patricia had been visiting her father in Orlando, Florida.
Roger Welch.
Ross Addison Reid was born on the 21st of September 1940 to Addison W. Reid and Dorothy j. Reid in Bay City, Michigan. Ross was the eldest of three children, Addison was a passionate musician and was the founder of his own “Big Band” orchestra which toured throughout the Midwest during the 30s and 40s. The band performed at the 1934 Chicago’s world fair where Addison served as the conductor and songwriter. He served during the war and married Dorothy in April of 1945. Ross would often go on fishing trips with his family and played the drums for the Bay City High school marching band.
After graduating high school, he enlisted in the U.S Navy in December of 1961 and was posted to Naval Air Station Point Mugu in Oxnard, California. In May of 1962, he returned home to Michigan for a few weeks on leave to visit his family. On the 22nd of May he was returning to California on Flight 11 and was heading onwards to Los Angeles. SA Ross and Private Miller were the youngest passengers on Flight 11.
SA Ross A. Reid.
Sidney Herbert Goldberg was born on the 12th of September 1904 in the Igumen district of the Minsk Governorate, Russian Empire (now known as Chervyn, Minsk in Belarus) to David Goldberg (1863-1927) and Brina Goldberg (1863-1942). Sidney was the youngest of eight children Leo (1891), Helen (1893), Edward (1898), Blanche (1899), Nora (1899), Ruth (1901) and Florence (1902). Like many thousands of fellow eastern europeans before them, the family decided to immigrate to the United States for a new life. The family left via Liepaja, Latvia in late November of 1912 and arrived in London in early December. On the 11th of December, the family sailed from Southampton aboard the 1883 2,499 tonne SS Philadelphia of the United States shipping lines. They arrived in New York on the 19th of December 1912 and the family settled in the Assembly district of Brooklyn.
On the 20th of January 1922, the eighteen year old Sidney along with his parents and siblings were naturalized as U.S Citizens. In 1927, David passed away from Cerebral Sclerosis and the elder children helped to support the growing family. In 1930 Sidney began working for Leonora Silk & Underwear Co as a salesman and was fluent in both English and Yiddish. In 1939 he married Evelyn L. Berenson Goldberg (1911-1978) and the couple settled into an apartment on Ocean drive in Kings, Brooklyn. In April of 1948 the couple welcomed their daughter Bryna who Sidney greatly cherished. By May of 1962, Sidney had been promoted to Secretary Treasurer at the firm and the couple lived in the quiet suburbs of Long Island. On the 22nd of May, Sidney was traveling to Kansas City on behalf of Leonora for business.
Sidney H. Goldberg
Takahiko Nakano was born on the 8th of January 1930 in Tokyo, Japan to Yataro and Fumi Nakano. Takahiko and his younger brother Masahiko lived through the numerous bombing raids and the deadly firebombing of Tokyo in March 1945. Following the end of the war, Takahiko attended and graduated from Tokyo University with a degree in Physics. He later joined the Hitachi Corporation as an Engineer, following the end of the war, Hitachi was one of the world's leading manufacturers of electron microscopes. In early 1961, Takahiko was sent to work in the United States for Hitachi’s American distributor Erb and Gray Scientific Inc as a representative. He arrived in the United States on the 4th of February 1961 and moved initially to New York before he was assigned to the company's offices in Evanston, Illinois. He would often shuttle for work between the 19 states the company did business in and was considered not only as an excellent and talented employee but a friendly and outgoing individual. He was close with several of his colleagues including the Japanese manager of Erb and Gray’s new york offices Yataro Shoji who called him by his anglicized nickname “Tommy”.
On the 22nd of May, Takahiko was on his way to service several products in both Kansas City and Los Angeles where he rented a small apartment. His colleague Ettienne Jungo was initially assigned to travel on Flight 11 but Takahiko offered to take it instead. When the main wreckage of Flight 11 was discovered and was later searched for survivors, Takahiko was found alive and was entering in and out of consciousness, despite the valiant efforts of those at the scene, the paramedics who rushed him to Centerville Hospital and the doctors and staff who tried to save his life, Takahiko entered a coma succumbed to his injuries several hours after the crash. In his final moments he was comforted by Sister Mary Owen who administered the Sacrament of Baptism. The valiant efforts made to save Takahiko’s life was recognised by his family on behalf of Yataro Shoji who traveled back to Japan with Takahiko’s ashes from Unionville.
Takahiko Nakano
Thomas Jefferson Cox was born on the 23rd of October 1913 to William M. Coc and Emma E. Cox in Des Moines, New Mexico. Thomas “Tommie” was one of eleven children, Ida, Ollie, Robert, Lizzie, Little, Luther, Callie, William, Ora, Beulah and Donald. His elder sister Ida and Lizzie both died before his birth. The Cox family grew up in the dry desert plains of New Mexico and Thomas later moved to Wichita in 1938. He joined the Stearman Airplane firm as an aircraft mechanic following the move. He left Stearman in 1945 and moved to the Boeing Airplane co in Seattle with his wife Louise M. Cox.
In 1952 Cox joined the Northern Natural Gas Transport Co in Greensburg, Kansas and he was employed by the Michigan and Wisconsin Pipeline Co. Cox would eventually be promoted to as a Booster Station Manager and Supervisor in Meade, Kansas where the couple had moved to in 1960. They had two daughters Evelyn and Lorraine along with his stepson Loss Dooling and six grandchildren. Cox was also a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows, a non-political and sectarian fraternity founded in 1819 in Baltimore.
On the 22nd of May, Cox and five of his fellow colleagues of the Wisconsin and Michigan Transport Natural Gas company Russell W. Wolfe, Clifford L. Walton, Benjamin F. Tuttle, Henry E. Hanna and Beauford M. Carter were returning to their homes in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma from a company meeting in Detroit via Chicago.
Thomas J. Cox
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Virgil Wesley Mourning was born on the 1st of September, 1916 to Roger H. Mourning (1892-1993) and Gladys G. Mourning (1897-1980) in Jerseyville, Illinois as the eldest of six children Ruth, Maurice, James, Robert and Gerald. He married his wife Opal in September of 1939 and the couple had two sons, Thomas and Robert. During the War he served on the homefront as a Sergeant in the Technical HQ10 Mountain Division and he was the recipient of the Bronze star medal for good conduct. In 1956 he was promoted to manager of dealer finance for Dodge Motors after nine years of service as general manager of the Dodge motors dealer in East Point, Georgia. The family resided in Birmingham, Michigan and Thomas was a junior at Michigan State University.
On the 22nd of May, Welch and two fellow Dodge executives Roger Welch and Fred P. Herman were heading to Kansas City on business. The day before, the three had attended a board meeting at Chrysler's headquarters in Detroit. Jim Updyke, owner of Updyke motors in Kirksville, Missouri came to Unionville to Identify the three men. Updyke and his wife Wilma had intended to meet the three men in Kansas City. Opal would later recall that “my husband liked flying. He had done a lot of it for his company in the past six years, he always said flying didn't bother him”.
Virgil W. Mourning
William Crouch Chapin was born on the 15th of December, 1911 to Louis W. Chapin and Edna C. Chapin in Rochester, New York. Louis was the founder of Vanilla Laboratories Co, a manufacturer of Vanilla of pure and imitation essences in both powder and liquid form. Advancements made in imitation extracts/flavourings at the turn of the 20th century allowed for new and mass produced products that were available and affordable. Edna’s family were the owners of the Sibley’s (Sibley, Lindsay and Curr co) chain of department stores located in New York and based in Rochester. William was the eldest child followed by his sister Dorothy in 1914. The family grew up in a large two story house in the picturesque suburb of Brighton. Chapin graduated Princeton University in 1935 and on the 31st of October, 1936 he married Janette K. Chapin at the St Thomas’s Church in Rochester.
The couple had a son Louis Jr and two daughters Virginia and Anne, the family settled in Brighton. During the Second World War he worked alongside the various ranks of the defence plant workers, whom he regarded not only as colleagues, but close friends and acquaintances. As a young teenager, Chapin developed a love of Golf and at age 11, he joined as a junior member of the former old Oak Country Club (now present campus of Rochester University). Both father and son would play together often and were known by their fellow club members as “Big Bill” and “Young Bill”, it was a game they would play until Louis’s death in 1954. He was regarded as a champion golfer and competed in several of the national championships, the U.S Amatuer competition in Baltimore, league of the Iroquois title and the Old Oak Country Club competition, winning on the latter two. He was considered a driven and determined player but also an excellent sportsman and gentleman who valued the relationships he had on a personal and professional level.
In 1951 Chapin joined as an executive member of the United States Golf Association and whilst on business in Japan he represented the U.S during the World teams Golf Tournament in Tokyo. He was also instrumental in showcasing the Women's National Amatuer club at the Oak Hill Club, he served as president of the club from 1955-1957. In 1954 following his fathers death, Chapin became president of Vanilla Laboratories Co. Away from Golf, he was an accomplished pianist and would entertain guests when the Chapins would host parties. On Monday the 21st of May, he was at the Oak Hill club to watch a local qualifier for the National Championship. On the afternoon of the 22nd of May, Chapin and his close friend Kenneth Berger, chief chemist for Vanilla Lab co left for a business trip to Kansas City via Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy International) to connect to Flight 11 in Chicago. Following his death the president of United States Golf Association John M Winters Jr and New York executive director Joseph Dey stated, “He was a most valued member of our executive committee” and “No one ever came to the committee who was more beloved than Bill Chapin. I never knew him to be unkind to anybody”.
William C. Chapin
Marcus C. Brand was born on 16th of January 1934 to Joseph Brand (1902-1936) and Betty Freidman Brand (1902-1955). When Marcus was two years old, his father died and in September 1937, his mother moved in with her brother Hyman Brand (1895-1977) and sister in Law Clara. Born in Poland, Hyman emigrated to the United States in 1909 and settled in Kansas City. In 1928 he co-founded the Brand and Puritz Garment Co with Joe Brand and Harry Purwitz. The company was a leading producer in the Kansas City garment district and specialized in women's clothing and coats. During the Second World War, the company assisted in the war effort, providing its facilities for the manufacture of service uniforms and more practical wartime garments that conformed to the rationing of fabric. Hyman was not only a successful businessman, but was also active in the Jewish community of Kansas City.
He was the head and board member of several organizations and in 1958 he received the National Conference of Christians and Jews Award as recognition of his work in the Conservative movement of the Jewish faith. Hyman took Marcus under his wing not only as a son but also later as an employee of the business. In 1952, Marcus attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and was a member of the Jewish Phi Sigma Delta Fraternity. On the 22nd of December 1954 he married Rosalie (nee Greenberg) Brand in a lavish ceremony held in the grand ballroom of the Muehlebach Hotel. The grand occasion was presided over by Rabbi Gershon Hadas and Cantor Jacob Rothblatt. Following the wedding and the honeymoon held in Miami, the couple settled in Ann Arbor. In 1956 Marcas graduated University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, and he joined the family business as an administrator. The couple had a daughter Bettina in 1957 and in April of 1962 they welcomed a son in early 1962. Marcus was a loving father and his daughter Tina was the apple of his eye. On the 22nd of May 1962, Marcus was traveling back home to Kansas after a business meeting in Chicago.
Marcus C. Brand.
Edward Arthur Kuhn was born on the 5th of December 1917 to Giles Kuhn and Elizabeth K. Kuhn in Walker, Iowa. Edward was the older brother to James and Robert and the family grew up in Sumner, Iowa. Edward was a graduate of Walker High School and later DePaul University in Chicago. In August of 1941 he joined the U.S Army and served in the Philippines attaining the rank of Captain. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal following the end of his service in February 1946. On the 18th of November 1950 at the St Michael's Church in Wheaton, he Married Patricia J. Kuhn and in 1952 the couple had a daughter Margaret but by May of 1962 the couple had separated. For 12 years he was an assistant manager of the Pfister Associated Growers in Aurora, Illinois. He later joined as a sales manager of Midwest Farm Paper unit, a conglomerate of five farm newspapers.
On the evening of the 22nd of May, Kuhn met up with his colleague and fellow sales manager James A. Clarity on Flight 11. Both men were travelling onwards to a business meeting in Kansas City. Kuhn had been initially unable to reserve a seat for the flight but did eventually when another passenger cancelled his reservation.
Edward A. Kuhn
Bruce Roberts Stewart was born on the 12th of November 1934 to William R. Stewart and Cecilie G. Stewart in Des Plaines, Illinois. Bruce was the youngest of two children, his sister Sandra was born in 1932. William formerly served in the U.S Navy auxiliary reserve and was a veteran of the First World war. During the war he served aboard the SS El Occidente, a livestock carrier that had been acquired for the war effort to transport supplies to war torn France. In February of 1918, the El Occidente engaged in a 20 minute gun battle with two German U-Boats. They were able to fend off the damaged Submarines and the ship survived the war, William left the navy in August of 1918.
William later founded and led his own publishing firm Stewart Co. Bruce attended Maine East High School in Des Plaines and later DePaul University, he graduated in 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. In early May of 1957, he married Joanne Stewart and the couple settled into a brand new house on Windsor drive. Stewart was also a reserve member of the Active U.S National Guard. After graduating from DePaul in 1955, he joined his fathers publishing firm as a partner (the firm's name was changed to Stewart and Stewart Co) and in January of 1960 Joanne gave birth to a son, William. On the 22nd of May 1962, Stewart was travelling to a meeting in Kansas City on Flight 11. Joanne and William had been staying with her parents in-law whilst Bruce was away on business and in the later hours of the night, she was called by Continental’s Chicago offices informing her of the crash.
Bruce R. Stewart
Philip Ireland Hoare was born on the 17th of March 1930 to Charles Hoare and Edith I. Hoare in Cardiff, Wales. Charles was a “Navvy” Navigational Engineer who worked on civil projects in the region of Glamorshire in Wales. Philip grew up in Cardiff and both he and his brother Edward (born in 1932). In 1939, Charles died and the two brothers had to face this hardship through the numerous Luftwaffe bombing raids on Cardiff during the Second World War from 1940 to 1944. In 1947, he survived a severe bout of tuberculosis and Philip began working as an engineer in the early 1950s. Iin August of 1953, he married Margaret A. Hoare in East Glamorgan, his brother Edward was his best man.
Late in 1955, Hoare accepted the position of a service engineer for the R.H Windsor Limited, the manufacturing conglomerate founded by Reginald H. Windsor in 1941. The company was one of the leading plastics and moulding manufacturers in the United Kingdom which was booming following the end of the war. Following his death in 1947 his son Reginald E. G. Windsor took over the company and expanded its facilities in Chessington, Surrey and opened a new conglomerate in Canada with manufacturing facilities in Etobicoke, Ottawa and offices in Toronto.
Philip and Margaret moved to the picturesque village of Fetcham in the county of Surrey, England. Philip was highly regarded by his colleagues and the Chairman R.E.G Windsor was a close friend of the family, a company spokesman later recalled that “He had considerable ability, progressed very rapidly”. His work took him across both west and eastern europe and on one trip to Moscow, he met and was photographed alongside the then Soviet Premier, Nikita Krushchev. In early 1962, he was appointed as Assistant Chief Engineer and his new position allowed for new opportunities for travel.
On the 10th of April, he left the U.K on a six week world tour on behalf of the company to scout out new facilities and markets in Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. On the 17th of May he stopped in Ontario and he visited the Ottawa facilities in Etobicoke. He left Ottawa on the morning of the 22nd and he stopped in Toronto to visit the R.H offices and service personnel. He left Toronto on a Canadian Pacific flight in the late afternoon and was due to continue onwards to Los Angeles via Chicago aboard Continental flight 11. He was expected to return home by the 24th of May. His body was identified by Reginald Windsor, who flew out from London to identify and accompany Hoare’s body back to the U.K. On the 6th of June following the clean up and finalising of the victim identification, the company on behalf of Margaret wrote to the people and Mayor of Unionville from Macarthur Hamilton, head of R.H Canadian operations.
“ Mr Philip I. Hoare, Assistant Chief Engineer of our company, was a victim of the recent air disaster that occurred last week. On behalf of Mr Hoare's wife and relatives, our President and Chief Engineer of our company as a whole wish to convey our sincere thanks to you and all the splendid people in your community for their competent and sympathetic handling of the situation”
“Again, our heartfelt thanks”.
Philip I. Hoare
Rex Ora Thomas was born on the 10th of March 1923 to Benjamin Thomas and Edith F. Thomas in Brazil, Indiana. He had an older brother Benjamin Jr (born 1925). Benjamin Sr 29, was a member of the Republican central committee and a former U.S Army Air Corps member. In October of 1930 he was killed in a car accident, Ethel would later marry Ear l W. Fisher. Thomas enlisted on the 5th of January 1943 into the U.S Navy and served in the Asia Pacific Theatre during the War. On one mission, Thomas was shot down and spent several days adrift on a raft before he was rescued. He was later awarded the Two Star Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal for bravery.
He left the Navy with the rank of ENSIGN but remained a reserve member. At 7:30pm on the 19th of May 1946, he married Nora Joann Thomas in the First Methodist Church in Cadillac, Michigan. The candlelit ceremony was attended by over 250 people. The couple later moved to Dearborn, Michigan and had two children, Mellisa and Matthew. Thomas worked for the Aeroquip Corporation, a manufacturer of industrial rubber pipes/hoses based in Jackson, Mississippi. He was the manager in St Louis before he was appointed district sales manager in Michigan. On the 22nd of May he was travelling onwards to Kansas City for a Business meeting.
Rex O. Thomas
Robert “Bobby” Jack Wilks was born on the 12th of October 1934 to Foy E. Wilks and Opal E. Wilks in Taylor, Texas. Bobby was the eldest sibling to Charles and Janis. Foy was the Principal of Taylor Elementary School where all three Wilks children attended. He later attended Taylor High School and graduated in 1952 as the followed by Abilene Christian College in Abilene, Texas. In 1956 he received his Bachelor In Science.
In 1959 he was awarded his Master of Arts in Biology. Whilst at Abilene College, Wilks met and later married Sue Haggards at the University Church of Christ in Austin on the 30th of March, 1956. The couple resided initially in Abilene with their two children Robert and Edward. Wilks later accepted a position at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina where the family relocated. He joined the faculty as a temporary Zoology Teacher on the 1st of September, 1961. On the afternoon of the 22nd of May, Wilks was travelling via Chicago to take part in an interview on the 23rd for a teaching position at the University of Kansas.
Bobby J. Wilks
Robert Lee Miller was born on the 20th of January, 1941 to John A. Miller and Ada Tatge in Melrose Park, Illinois. Robert was the youngest of three siblings along with John and Patricia, the family were devout Catholics. John Sr was a former veteran of the Second World War and later joined the Melrose Park Police as a clerk whilst Ada stayed home. After graduating from Proviso high school, In October of 1961, Robert enlisted in the U.S Army reserves and was soon stationed at the Fort Riley base located just outside Junction City, Kansas.
By May of 1962, Robert had attained the rank of Private FC and in early May he spent his two weeks of leave with his parents in Melrose Park. On the evening of the 22nd, His parents drove him to O’hare Airport to catch Flight 11. They arrived at Terminal 2 around 8pm and stayed chatting with him right up until he boarded, waving goodbye as he walked up the forward airstairs, attired in his standard issue olive green uniform and cap. The week before he had injured his leg and was assigned a more comfortable seat in the rear of the coach cabin. At around 10:30, Robert’s parents heard a newsflash on their radio that Flight 11 was missing. The couple quickly dressed and drove back to O’hare where they stayed throughout the early morning until it was confirmed by representatives of Continental that there were no survivors.
Private Robert L. Miller
Frank Joseph Green Jr was born on the 7th of December 1931 to Frank Grene Sr and Martha Wiland in Chicago, Frank jr had an older brother Norbert. His grandparents had immigrated from Germany in the early 1900s settling in Illinois. His father was a veteran of the Second world war and a Steamfitter and Machinist by profession. Frank Jr was a graduate of De Paul High school and later attended and graduated from De Paul and Northwestern Universities. He served in the Korean War and following the conflict he began work as an accountant. He later married his beloved wife Geraldine and the couple settled back in Chicago. Grene was employed in the computer accounting section of General Mills as section manager. Founded in 1928 and based in Minneapolis, the company initially specialised in the production and milling of flours.
The company later expanded to the production of cereals and mass produced dry goods. Grene was based out of the Chicago offices before he was promoted in August of 1961 to the company’s headquarters in Minneapolis. In the early months of 1961, the couple welcomed a son, Frank III. On the 22nd of May, Grene was on his first assignment for his new position. He was due to meet an executive based in Kansas city who was taking Grene on a tour around the Green mills facilities in the Southwestern states. Geraldine was staying with her parents that evening and was awaiting a call from her husband to let her know that his plane had landed. As a frequent flyer, Frank would always call her out of habit. When the call didn't come through after some time, Geraldine’s father called Continental’s Chicago offices to enquire if Flight 11 was delayed. They were informed that the flight had crashed and that it was presumed there were no survivors. The crash devastated Grene’s family. At the 50th anniversary memorial service, his son Frank III would recall that “I never really knew him, but I saw the tragedy and how it was reflected in my family and obviously it made a big impact on my life even after all these years it’s very difficult”.
Frank J. Grene Jr
James Archibald Clarity Jr was born on the 9th of June, 1925 to James A. Clarity Sr and Georgia Clarity in Minneapolis, James was the eldest child and was later joined by a sister Jean in 1929. James Sr was a veteran of the U.S Navy during the First World War, discharged with the rank of Quartermaster Second Class. James Jr grew up in Minneapolis and Graduated from Washburn High School. Like his father before him, Clarity joined the U.S Navy and served during the War in the Pacific campaign aboard a U.S Navy cruiser. Following the end of the war, Clarity remained a member of the U.S reserve army with the rank of Lieutenant (Junior grade).
In 1946 he was enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences and he would go on to graduate from the University of Minnesota in 1948, where he was a member of the Sigma New Fraternity. Following his graduation, he joined the Albert Lea Tribune paper as an advertising salesman. On the 10th of September 1949 he married Georgia Clarity in Litchfield, Minneapolis. The two had met each other whilst at University and the couple later settled in Freeborn, Minnesota where Clarity joined the advertisement section of the Wallaces Farmer Newspaper and later the Wisconsin Agriculturist, both of which were subsidiaries of the Midwest Paper Farm Unit. The couple would go on to have six children together James, Timothy, Ann, Kevin, Mary and Sarah. Clarity was later promoted to an advertising sales manager and the family moved to Des Plaines, Illinois in March of 1962. The family were members of the St Theresa's Catholic Church and always attended Sunday services. In his spare time, he enjoyed creating watercolor artwork and christmas cards. When the family needed a vacation, they would travel up to the northern shores of Wisconsin where the family rented a log cabin. “You know, fishing out on boats and the lake and it was a good time. He would play baseball with us, he was just a good guy”, his son Kevin would recall of his father
In the late afternoon of the 22nd of May, Clarity arrived home from work and after gathering some items for the upcoming trip he left at 8pm and drove to O'Hare Airport, arriving at terminal two around 8:15pm where he met up with his colleague Edward A. Kuhn. Both men were traveling onwards to a business meeting in Kansas City.
James A. Clarity Jr
Henry Evans Hanna was born on the 4th of June 1911 to John E. Hanna and Susan T. Hanna in Little River, Kansas. Hanna was the middle of five children Margaret, Naomi, Glenn and Helen. Henry married Pauline Hanna and the couple settled in Rural Rice, Kansas where Hanna joined the Rice County Police Department as a Patrolman. In October of 1940 he was drafted into the U.S Army and in 1941 the couple had their first child Patrick followed by Jay and Mary. Hanna joined the Northern Natural Gas Transport Co as a Maintenance foreman in Lyons, Kansas.
On the 22nd of May, Hanna and five of his fellow colleagues of the Wisconsin and Michigan Transport Natural Gas company Russell W. Wolfe, Clifford L. Walton, Benjamin F. Tuttle, Thomas J. Cox and Beauford M. Carter were returning to their homes in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma from a company meeting in Detroit via Chicago. Patrick and Jay were both students at Creighton University and Mary was a junior at Lyons High School.
Henry E. Hanna
Edward Christian Waffle III was born on the 6th of October, 1917 to Edward C. Waffle Sr and Irene M. Waffle in Chicago, Edward jr was later joined by his sister Mary in 1920. In September of 1940 age 23, Waffle enlisted in the U.S Army air force and served in the 78th Base Unit and served during the Second World War following the United States entry in December of 1941. He served as an Army Air Traffic Controller in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Following the war he was awarded the Bronze star medal and American Defense Service Medal for valour. On the 6th of February 1947, he married Elizabeth C. Waffle in Cook County, Illinois. The couple settled in Chicago where Waffle had worked for the Federal Aviation Administration since 1946 as an Air Traffic Controller in the growing post war commercial aviation sector. He worked in Chicago, Madison, and Indianapolis. The couple would go on to have four children Edward III, James, Elizabeth and Thomas.
The family later moved to Missouri when Waffle was promoted to the staff of the operations evaluation branch of the FAA in Kansas City. The family were members of the St Charles Catholic Church in Gladstone. In early May of 1962, Waffle was promoted to become the head supervisor at the Green Bay Control Tower in Wisconsin. Waffle had spent three weeks away to become accustomed to the facilities in Green Bay and to locate a house for the family to move into. Elizabeth had arranged to have the furniture and personal belongings moved and they were planning to make the final move on Friday (30th of May). On the 22nd of May, Waffle was travelling back to Kansas City to pick up the family; they were planning on driving back to Green Bay the next morning.
Elizabeth, James, Elizabeth jr and Thomas were amongst the many other relatives waiting at Kansas City Airport for Flight 11 which was due to arrive at 9:40pm. When the flight was listed as “Delayed”, the family along with the others were moved into Continental’s Presidents Lounge and a short time later they were informed of the crash. The death of her husband and the shattering of the future they had so carefully planned was devastating to Elizabeth. Her health declined and she died in February 1968 age 48 in Riverside, Missouri. The children were sent to live with relatives, and the younger children were fostered.
Edward C. Waffle III
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Clyde Darrel Fritz was born on the 15th of November 1928 to Vernon R. Fritz and Gladys B. Fritz in Webster, Missouri. Clyde was the eldest of four children followed by Virgil, Laverene and Richard. Fritz grew up on a farm his family worked on in East Dallas, Webster. The family later moved to Elk Creek, Wright and Fritz left elementary school in grade six. He was drafted for service in November of 1946 age 18 and in 1950 he joined Bursteen Applebee co, an electronic service and repair firm that was based in Kansas City. He later married his sweetheart Olivet “Ollie” M. Fritz and the couple settled in Kansas City where they had three children. On the 30th of April he was appointed as manager of a branch store in downtown Kansas City. A requirement of his work as an executive of the firm was to attend radio and electronics trade shows in Chicago and the surrounding states.
On the morning of the 21st of May, he left for Chicago on a 5 am flight to attend the trade show. He called Ollie later in the day to let her know he was intending to return home that night on a later flight. After putting the children to bed, Ollie learnt of the crash of Flight 11 when a news flash came over the television. Fearing the worst, but not sure if he had in fact boarded the jet, she called the Continental offices in Chicago. When she asked if there was a Fritz on the passenger list, the caller replied emphatically “There was definitely a Mr Fritz on the plane”.
Clyde D. Fritz
John Earl Hamm was born on the 27th of March 1923 to William M. Hamm and Vera I. Hamm in Sedalia, Missouri. John was the second eldest of six sons, Willam, David, Charles and George. Webb grew up and worked on farms in Warrensburg and Longwood, Missouri with his devout christian family and he left elementary school in the 8th grade. On the 10th of January 1941 he enlisted in the U.S Navy and began Fighting Squadron Operational Training Unit 3 in Naas Green, Cove Green Florida. The training lasted from March of 1943 to November 1944. On the 14th of May 1943 he married Susan M. Webb at a church in Carrollton, Missouri which was officiated by the baptist minister Reverend Clawson. Following the wedding, Hamm returned to Jacksonville, Florida where he was stationed. Susan later joined him and in 1945 the couple welcomed a daughter Sheryl.
He was discharged on the 25th of March, 1946 with the rank of ACMM (Aviation Corp Machinist's Mate) and the family moved to Lexington, Missouri where in 1950 they welcomed a son John Jr. Following the war Hamm joined Venmo, a leading manufacturer and service company for vending/beverage machines. The family moved to Kansas City in 1952, the family attended regular services at the First Regular Baptist Church, Hamm was a chairman of the church’s board of trustees, a deacon and a Sunday school superintendent. His work often took him across the various states the company serviced and he was a frequent flyer with Continental. On the 18th of May, Hamm left by train to travel for work in Chicago.
He called Susan over the weekend and told her he expected the work should be done by Monday. On the afternoon of the 22nd, Hamm reported to a Venmo official in Kansas City that he had completed the work and was asked to return that evening on Flight 11. His funeral was held at the Earl Chapel and was attended by over 400 people. His friend, Reverend Don Cunningham spoke at the service and mentioned his devotion to not only his faith but also family, “If many of us had just a small part of what John was we would be very good people”. He quoted St Paul “We know all things work together for them that love God”.
John E. Hamm
Mervin Dale Horn was born on the 4th of April, 1933 to Robert W. Horn and Ada G. Horn in Saint Edwards, Nebraska. Mervin was the second eldest of nine children, Kenneth, Lola, James, Ruby, Don, Alvin, Louise, Helen and Irene. Mervin grew up in Kansas City and attended Northeast High School. On the 17th of October 1953 he married Joanne D. Horn in Jackson, Mississippi. The couple moved to Independence, Missouri and they had two children Jo Ellen and Jack. Horn worked for Emery World Freight as a superintendent in Chicago.
On the 21st of May, Horn was offered a promotion to Manager of the Chicago and to take part in an interview. He called Joanne on the morning of the 22nd to let her know he had been accepted for the position. As a surprise, Joanne had been redecorating their house and had spent most of the day painting walls. She knew he was due to return later that night on Flight 11 and she retired to bed around 9:30 pm. A short time later she awoken by a phone call from Mervin’s boss informing her that his plane had gone missing and was presumed to have crashed in Iowa. At his funeral, held on the 26th of May at the Reorganised latter day saints church in Independence. Elder Ralph Freeman presiding over the ceremony spoke about Horn’s devotion to his family, friends and congregation. “We have had a good man living among us” and “He demonstrated love for his fellow man in his daily living and in his daily work he demonstrated helpfulness, friendliness and courtesy”.
Mervin D. Horn
Kenneth Howell Berger was born on the 14th of October 1903 to Kenneth G Berger and Mary H. Berger in Rochester, New York and was baptised in Redding, Pennsylvania. Kenneth was the eldest of three brothers Edward and Arthur. The family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio from Rhode Island in the early 1920s. Berger attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York and graduated with a PHD in Chemistry in 1926. He joined Atlantic Gelatin Co. On the 7th of August, 1933 he married Winnifred E. Berger and the couple moved to Reading ,Massachusetts. He later joined as a flavour chemist with the Jell-O branch of General Food Corporation in Le Roy, New York. The couple went on to have two daughters Barbara and Mary Ellen.
The family were members of the All Saints Episcopal Church and he was a member of the Rochester Rotary club. In 1943 he joined Vanilla Laboratories incorporated in Rochester, New York. Founded in 1911, the food flavourings company supplied primarily vanilla essences to major ice cream and confectionery manufacturers. On the afternoon of the 22nd of May, Berger (who was the chief chemist) and his close friend and company President William C. Chapin left for a business trip to Kansas City via Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy International) to connect to Flight 11 in Chicago.
Kenneth H. Berger
Philip Eugene Giberson Sr was born on 28th of February 1899 to Mason B. Giberson and Mary L. Rush in Marian, Indiana. Philip grew up on a ward/farm in Calhoun, Michigan with his parents, three siblings Mason, Sarah, Charles and his step brother Paul H. Fry. In September of 1917, Philip enlisted in the U.S Draft and joined the Ordinance department of the Chief Army Corp in Detroit where he was renting. In 1922, he married Helen N. Mayhew in Muskegon, Michigan, the couple remained married for several years but ultimately divorced before 1928. In the same year he married Getrude G. Giberson, and the couple moved to Jackson, Michigan. The couple would go on to have a son, Philip Jr. Giberson.
Philip Sr was a graduate of Detroit Institute of Technology and he co founded the Guy Berson & Sand Co which produced and tested ballistics and explosives and was based in Jackson, Mississippi where he and Gertrude relocated to. When the United States entered the war in December of 1941 Giberson was the Chief Army Ordnance Officer for the state of Michigan. Giberson was also the president of the National Foundry Sand Company for over 20 years prior to establishing Guyberson & Sand Co and made frequent trips to Detroit on business. His son Philip Jr. was a vice president at Guy Berson and was the president of the Jackson Panthers, a newly established football team. Philip Sr was a board member of the Panthers and was an active member of the Freemasons.
On the 19th of May, Philip Sr’s sister Sara died at her home in Chicago aged 65. Philip Sr and his son flew to Chicago for the funeral on the 22nd. The two were staying with Sarah’s daughter Phyllis Glaze in La Grange, Chicago. The pair had planned to fly back that night as they both had a scheduled business meeting in Kansas City and Giberson Sr had another meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Philip Jr decided however to stay on in Chicago for one more night and Philip Sr arrived alone at O’hare Airport around 8pm.
Philip E. Giberson Sr.
Robert Gustav Tabors was born on the 16th of October, 1914 to August P. Taborsky and Ceclia G. Taborsky in Chicago. August and Ceclia were both first generation immigrants from Austria. August worked in a dye factory in the German neighbourhoods of Cleveland, Ohio. Robert was the eldest child followed by his sister Elsie in 1919. Robert attended Collingwood High School and was a member of the high school German club. In June of 1937, he married Esther F. Tabors in Cleveland where he was employed by Baldwin & Southpark based in Eddystone, the couple had a son Richard in 1943. He was a graduate of Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland. He was drafted in October of 1940 and served during the Second World War. Following the war, the family moved to Chester, Pennsylvania. Tabors joined Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corporation as vice president of the electronics and instrumentation division. In 1961 he joined the technology conglomerate, Textron. Based in Providence, Rhode Island, the company initially began producing textiles but through the acquisition of several manufacturing firms. In 1960 they acquired Bell Aerospace which produced several notable rotorcraft in both civilian and military sectors. In his spare time he enjoyed playing golf and was a member of the Weston Golf Club. On the 29th of May, 1961, he was appointed company President and general manager and by May of 1962, the family had moved to Weston, Massachusetts. He was also vice president and the director of Ballymore Co. On the 22nd of May, Tabors was travelling for a scheduled meeting in Kansas City on Flight 11.
Robert G. Tabors
Clifford Lewis Walton was born on the 8th of April, 1928 to Simon L. Walton and Betty J. Walton in Cox Mills, West Virginia. Clifford was the third eldest of six children Arlena, Fay, Goldie, Evelyn and Glenn. Simon was employed as a roustabout for a gas company based in Troy, West Virginia where the family grew up. In April of 1946 he enlisted in the U.S Navy in Atlanta, Georgia as an AS (Aviation Support Equipment Technician), he later left the Navy in January of 1948. He later joined the Wisconsin and Michigan Transport Natural Gas company as a pipeline and in June of 1950 he married Wilma J Walton in Lewis, West Virginia, they went on to have four children together.
The family later moved to La Verne, Oklahoma and Walton was appointed as a Pipeline Superintendent supervisor. On the 22nd of May, Walton and five of his fellow colleagues of the Wisconsin and Michigan Transport Natural Gas company Frank Tuttle, Henry E. Hanna Russel W. Wolfe, Thomas J. Cox and Beauford M. Carter were returning to their homes in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma from a company meeting in Detroit via Chicago on Flight 11.
Clifford L. Walton
Maurice Hamilton, a man of science and service, was born on February 14, 1920, in Youngstown, Ohio to Andrew Jackson Hamilton and Irene Stack. Known to his loved ones as Ham, he was a dedicated family man and a talented chemist. He attended St. Brendan Grade School and graduated from Ursuline High School, Youngstown, Ohio in 1938. At Ursuline, he was a member of the basketball team which in 1937 won the school’s first Northeastern Ohio basketball championship. Ham was selected by his high school teammates as the all-tournament center. After graduating from Ursuline High School in 1938, he
went to St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, Indiana on a basketball scholarship. Ham delayed his education and enlisted in the US Army from 1942-1945 and served his country during World War II as a Warrant Officer. Post-war, he returned to college, earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Saint Joseph College in 1951. It was during this time that he married his beloved wife, Rosemary Bresnahan, and together they raised five children: Maureen, Roseann, Thomas, Kathryn, and Teresa.
Ham's professional career was marked by his contributions to the field of chemistry. He joined Switzer Brothers, a company renowned for its vibrant paints and dyes. His work was instrumental in developing the special paint used by the Air Force to improve aviation safety. Tragically, Ham passed away while
traveling to address a technical issue at Owens-Illinois Glass Company for Switzer Brothers. Rosemary, his devoted wife, returned to Youngstown and dedicated herself to teaching kindergarten. The family continues to cherish the memory of their beloved father and husband, whose legacy lives on through their hearts.
Maurice E. Hamilton
Benjamin Franklin “Frank” Tuttle was born on the 28th of April 1899 to Charles G. Tuttle and Effie S. Tuttle in Neodesha, Kansas. Frank was the eldest of five children followed by Homer, Ralph, Mabel and Orpha, Ralph sadly passed away two weeks after birth from Whooping cough in 1913. In September of 1917, Tuttle enlisted in the U.S Army following their entrance into the First World War and served in Europe. Following the end of the conflict in November of 1918, Tuttle returned to Neodesha and in December of 1919 in Thayer, Kansas he married Gladys “Pearl” Tuttle, the couple would go on to have four children. Tuttle worked initially as Stationary engineer with several Gas companies and would eventually work up to the position of Plant Superintendent and later supervisor for the Natural Gas Company in the late 1940s. Tuttle was a devoted and long term member of the Freemasons and the couple lived in Liberal, Kansas where Tuttle served as the superintendent and supervisor of the western division of the Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline.
On the 22nd of May, Tuttle and five of his fellow colleagues of the Wisconsin and Michigan Transport Natural Gas company Clifford L. Walton Henry E. Hanna, Russel W. Wolfe, Thomas J. Cox and Beauford M. Carter were returning to their homes in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma from a company meeting in Detroit via Chicago on Flight 11. His son in-law Harold Keltz was a supervisor for the American Louisiana pipelines in Shelbyville Tennessee, also attended the meeting in Detroit and he left on a flight home at 7pm on that evening.
Frank Tuttle
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Russell Warden Wolfe was born on the 27th of January, 1925 to Vernon Wolfe and Laverna Eaton in Robinson, Illinois, Russell was an only child and grew up in Robinson. Wolfe served during the Second World War in the U.S Army from August 1943 to January 1946. On the 8th of May, 1947 he married Ruth K. Wolfe in Holland, Michigan, the couple would go on to have a son Russel born in 1948. The couple settled in Holland and in January of 1950 a daughter Sandra was born, Sandra sadly lived only for two days and was buried in Holland. The couple did their best to move onwards with their lives and Wolfe worked as an auto mechanic.
He later joined the Wisconsin and Michigan Transport Natural Gas company and was based in Fillmore. In 1960 the family moved to Guymon, Oklahoma when he was transferred to become the Assistant compressor station superintendent. On the 22nd of May, Wolfe and five of his fellow colleagues of the Wisconsin and Michigan Transport Natural Gas company Henry E. Hanna, Clifford L. Walton, Benjamin F. Tuttle, Thomas J. Cox and Beauford M. Carter were returning to their homes in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma from a company meeting in Detroit via Chicago.
Russell W. Wolfe
Roger Dean Allen was born on the 4th of November 1929 in Genoa, Colorado to Oscar Carlton Allen and Joesphine Augusta Hughes he grew up on the dry plains of Huerfano Colorado where he worked for his family on their ranch. A devout Christian, he attended regular services from age ten and onwards throughout his life at the Genoa Evangelical United Church. He attended Genoa High School for over ten years and graduated in 1947. During his youth he began to take flying lessons and on several occasions hunted coyotes from his small light plane. On the 19th of December 1950 he enlisted in the U.S Air force and he was assigned temporarily to Germany, Northern Africa, Denmark and France until he was assigned to permanent duty at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Whilst station in Suffolk and he met his English born wife Jean whom he married in the town of Debben in April of 1954.
The town had been inhabited by mostly U.S air force personnel who were stationed at the nearby airbase. The couple moved initially to Waldringfield in Suffolk before the couple moved together back to the United States settling in Los Angeles. Sullivan joined Continental Airlines in 1957 and in late 1959 he began 707 training. He flew the Douglas DC-3, Convair 340 and Viscount airliners and had type rating for various single and twin engined aircraft including his own personal plane. In June of 1960, he completed training on the Boeing 707 as a Second Officer/Flight Engineer. The couple purchased a home in Palos Verdes for which they had saved up to purchase and they had plans in place to adopt a child so they could finally start a family. He was regarded as a reassuring and compassionate individual who was beloved by his nephews and nieces. He was an excellent and meticulous pilot who was an overly considerate colleague.
On the 22nd of May 1962 he was assigned as Second Officer alongside his colleagues Captain Fred R. Gray and First Officer Edward J. Sullivan aboard Continental Airlines Flight 11. He left behind a beloved wife who never remarried following his death and was her one true love and his family who remember his kindness and generosity.
What a lovely tribute! And great website ;]