Pilots of Jetliners Were Ex-Military, Physically Fit

The captains of all four flights were former military pilots.
Two were Vietnam combat veterans.

• Flight 11, Captain John Ogonowski
  • Air Force fighter pilot in Vietnam
  • big and physically strong
• Flight 175, Captain Victor Saracini
  • former fighter pilot of the Vietnam era
  • in superb physical condition
• Flight 77, Captain Chic Burlingame
  • Naval Academy graduate
  • flew F-4s in Vietnam era
  • 'health nut', jogger
• Flight 93, Captain LeRoy Homer
  • former Air Force pilot
  • muscular and agile