Charles Burlingame

Charles Burlingame
Charles Burlingame's gravestone
Born	Charles Frank Burlingame III (1949-09-12)September 12, 1949 St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S
Died	Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
Cause of death	Stabbed
Education	U.S. Naval Academy B.S. 1971
Occupation	Pilot
Spouse(s)	Sheri Burlingame

Charles Frank "Chic" Burlingame III (September 12, 1949 – September 11, 2001) was the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, the aircraft that was crashed by terrorists into the Pentagon during the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Biography

Burlingame was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and moved frequently as a son of an active duty member of the United States Air Force. He spent parts of his childhood in California and England. Burlingame graduated from Anaheim High School, California in 1967. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America where he achieved its highest rank, Eagle Scout.

Charles Burlingame graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1971. In the Navy, he flew F-4 Phantom jets in Fighter Squadron 103 (VF-103) aboard the USS Saratoga, rising to the rank of Captain. He was an honor graduate of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) aboard NAS Miramar, California. In 1979, Burlingame left active duty with the Navy and joined American Airlines, though he remained in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Burlingame volunteered to be activated during the Gulf War. Burlingame also spent time working in The Pentagon, while in the Naval Reserve.

He was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal.

Burlingame retired as a Navy Reserve Captain in 1996 and worked at American Airlines. Burlingame was married to an American Airlines flight attendant, Sheri Burlingame. They lived in Oak Hill, Virginia.

Death

Burlingame’s name is located on Panel S-69 of the National September 11 Memorial's South Pool, along with those of other passengers of Flight 77

Burlingame was the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, with First Officer David Charlebois, before it was hijacked and flown into the Pentagon. He would have turned 52 the day after the incident.

Burlingame was buried in the Arlington National Cemetery. He was initially deemed ineligible for burial there due to his status as a reservist deceased at an age younger than 60, but Burlingame was given a waiver and his case triggered reform of Arlington's burial criteria.

At the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Burlingame is memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-69.

See also

• Debra Burlingame

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons