Education
He attended Lowell Technological Institute (now the University of Massachusetts Lowell), where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. He graduated in 1972 with a bachelor of science degree in Nuclear Engineering.
He attended Lowell Technological Institute (now the University of Massachusetts Lowell), where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. He graduated in 1972 with a bachelor of science degree in Nuclear Engineering.
A resident of Dracut, Massachusetts, Ogonowski was a leading advocate on behalf of farming in Massachusetts, particularly in aiding immigrant farmers from Cambodia, whom he assisted as part of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. He was murdered by terrorists while piloting American Airlines Flight 11, which was subsequently hijacked and flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center as part of the 9/11 attacks. Ogonowski went to secondary school at Keith Academy, Lowell, Massachusetts.
Ogonowski was a pilot in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War, assigned to the Air Force base in Charleston, South Carolina, and ferry equipment to Asia and sometimes transporting the bodies of fallen in C-141 transport aircraft.
He retired from the military with the rank of captain. Ogonowski became a commercial pilot in 1978.
September 11 attacks
Ogonowski was killed on September 11, 2001, while at the controls during the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11. Following his murder, his airplane was crashed into the World Trade Center.
lieutenant is believed that he was stabbed to death in order for the hijacker pilot Mohamed Atta to take control of the plane and crash it into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
Before dying, Ogonowski managed to engage the aircraft"s radio system to allow air traffic control to listen to the terrorists" conversations in the aircraft"s cabin. His body was never foundation A remote controlled model aircraft flying field in nearby Tewksbury, Massachusetts, has been dedicated to Captain Ogonowski.
The University of Massachusetts Lowell, Ogonowski was posthumously presented an honorary doctorate at the 2003 commencement ceremony at Tsongas Arena.
The United States Agency for International Development Farmer to Farmer program was renamed the "John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter FTF Program" as part of the 2008 Farm Bill. At the National 9/11 Memorial, Ogonowski is memorialized at the North Pool, on Panel North-74 adjacent to the name of Kathleen A Nicosia, a friend and flight attendant also killed on board American Airlines Flight 11 that day.
Foreign 23 years, he flew airplanes for American Airlines, and was a member of the Allied Pilot Association.