Remember Flight 93 Heroes During Black History Month

Black History Month is an appropriate time to remember the three African American crewmembers of United Flight 93 who were among the 40 courageous souls who changed the course of history on 9/11 when their hijacked plane crashed in Shanksville, PA.

First Officer LeRoy Homer, Jr. and Flight Attendants Wanda Green and CeeCee Lyles had a combined service record of 37 years with United Airlines when Flight 93 left Newark, New Jersey en route to San Francisco. Their resourcefulness, along with their fellow crewmembers and passengers, were responsible for preventing the plane from reaching the nation’s capital.

“They gave their lives fighting the terrorists. As a result of their actions, they undoubtedly saved many lives in Washington, DC,” said Calvin Wilson, brother-in-law to First Officer Homer.

Wanda Green, 49, had been with United for almost 30 years, fulfilling a passion for flying and seeing the world. According to her mother, Wanda was one of the first African Americans to join United as a flight attendant. Wanda was a dedicated mother to her children Jennifer and Joe Benjamin. She was a deacon in her church and active in her hometown of Linden, New Jersey.

LeRoy Homer, Jr., 36, earned his pilot’s license at 16, and after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1987, served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He began working for United in 1995 while continuing his military career with the Air Force Reserve, achieving the rank of Major. LeRoy married Melodie, in 1998, settled in Marlton, New Jersey, and had a daughter, Laurel. Because of his heroic actions on September 11, the Tuskegee Airmen honored LeRoy posthumously with the title, “Tuskegee Airman.”

CeeCee Lyles, 33, changed careers only nine months earlier, leaving her job as a police officer in Fort Pierce, Florida. During the attack, CeeCee phoned her husband, Lorne, to tell him what happened and to express her love. The two had been married for only a year, forming a family with four sons. Minutes before the plane’s crash, CeeCee phoned Lorne, revealing the plans by the crew and passengers to fight the hijackers.

For information on the Flight 93 National Memorial, go to www.honorflight93.org.

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