Charles Burlingame | |
|---|---|
 Burlingame in the 1990s | |
| Born | Charles Frank Burlingame III (1949-09-12)September 12, 1949 St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | September 11, 2001(2001-09-11) (aged 51) |
| Cause of death | Plane crash |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Education | U.S. Naval Academy (BS) |
| Occupation | Pilot |
| Spouse | Sheri Burlingame |
| Relatives | Debra Burlingame (sister) |
| Military career | |
| Service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1971–1996 |
Charles Frank "Chic" Burlingame III (September 12, 1949 – September 11, 2001) was thecaptain ofAmerican Airlines Flight 77, the aircraft that was crashed by terrorists into the Pentagon during theSeptember 11 attacks.
Burlingame was born on September 12, 1949, inSt. Paul, Minnesota, to parents Charles F. "Chuck" Burlingame Jr. and Patricia Ann Burlingame (née Meyer).[citation needed] He moved frequently as a son of an active-duty member of theUnited States Air Force, spending parts of his childhood inCalifornia andEngland.[1] Burlingame graduated fromAnaheim High School, California, in 1967. He was active in theBoy Scouts of America, where he achieved its highest rank,Eagle Scout.[2]
Burlingame graduated with aBachelor of Science degree inAeronautical Engineering from theUnited States Naval Academy in 1971.[3] In the Navy, upon receiving hisnaval aviator wings, he flewF-4 Phantom jets inFighter Squadron 103 (VF-103) on boardUSS Saratoga. He was an honor graduate of theUnited States NavyFighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) atNAS Miramar, California. In 1979, Burlingame left active duty with the Navy and transferred to theU.S. Navy Reserve, and started to work forAmerican Airlines. He volunteered to be activated during theGulf War.[1] He also spent time working inThe Pentagon, while in the Naval Reserve.[4]
Burlingame retired from the Navy Reserve as acaptain in 1996 and continued to work for American Airlines.[5]
Burlingame appeared on the game showGreed on March 10, 2000, winning $10,000.
He was married to an American Airlinesflight attendant, Sheri Burlingame.[6] They lived inOak Hill, Virginia.[7]
Burlingame was the captain of American Airlines Flight 77, with First Officer David Charlebois, when it was hijacked and flown into the Pentagon. Unlike the other three flights, there were no reports of anyone being stabbed or a bomb threat. He might not have been murdered by the hijackers but instead shoved to the back of the plane with the rest of the passengers.Barbara Olson, a passenger on the flight, asked her husband on her mobile phone, "What do I tell the pilot to do?" suggesting that Burlingame was next to her at the back of the aircraft. He would have turned 52 the day after the incident.[8]
Burlingame was buried inArlington National Cemetery. He was initially deemed ineligible for burial there because he was areservist who died before age 60, but Burlingame was given a waiver and his case triggered reform of Arlington's burial criteria.[9] AstronautFrank Culbertson, Burlingame's friend and classmate at the Naval Academy, who had witnessed and photographed the aftermath of the September 11 attacks from space, playedtaps on his trumpet at Burlingame's memorial service.[10]
At theNational September 11 Memorial, Burlingame is memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-69.[7]
Burlingame was awarded theDefense Superior Service Medal, theNational Defense Service Medal (with oneservice star), theNavy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon,Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon (with one service star), theArmed Forces Reserve Medal, theNavy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon, and theNavy Expert Pistol Medal.[11]
 | ||
 | ||
 |   |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
In the Tony nominated musical “Come from Away”, Burlingame’s name was mentioned multiple times byJenn Collela, who portrayed Burlingame’s friend and fellow American Airlines pilotBeverley Bass.[13]
