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The AAmericans United Flag Across America, which began with Governor Jane Swift of Massachusetts presenting a US flag to a team in Boston, heads towards an emotional finish in Los Angeles, as organizers today announced that members of the families of the air crews and passengers lost are invited to run the final portion.
“We want to offer the families of those killed on the aircraft the opportunity to ‘complete the flights’ for their loved ones, who never made it to their destinations,” said National Communications Coordinator First Officer Todd Wissing. “The air crews families will lead the way to the final symbolic arrival of all four flights. In this way, we will all honor those lost on that fateful day.”
AA Flight 11 and UAL Flight 175 left Boston, and, along with AA Flight 77, were due to land at Los Angeles.
The organization, composed of a grassroots team of airline employees from American and United airlines, military personnel and now many other volunteers, has traveled more than halfway across the country—over 2,400 miles—held a rally in Albuquerque featuring veterans, firefighters involved in the Ground Zero clean-up and cheered by thousands of residents as it toured through the city.
At a ceremony in the City Plaza area, US Representative Heather Wilson, an Air Force Academy graduate, emotionally told the history of the US flag. “This was the flag that was made from pieces of blanket in a prison camp in Bataan; this was the flag that flies above the wreck of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor,” she related, reminding the crowd of the times that our nation has relied on unity to respond to tragedy.
New Mexico State Coordinator Dee Friesen, a Captain with American Airlines, commented: “We are saying to the world that we will not allow the terrorists to change the way we live.” The flag, which has visited Ground Zero in Manhattan and has touched all states hit by the Sept. 11 attacks, was flown in the cockpit of an F-16 fighter over Southern Iraq as part of Operation Southern Watch. It will finish its journey at LAX airport at 2 p.m. on November 11, at the end of the runways in scenic Dockweiler State Park, on the shore of the Pacific, 3, 872 miles from where it began on October 11. For complete route data and other real-time details, visit the web site at www.flagrun2001.org.
Every visitor is encouraged to visit the donations page of the website and make a contribution to the Flag Run fund which will be split between seven funds benefiting the children and families of those killed on Sept. 11, 2001.
Corporate sponsors are still needed for run-related expenses. The run is supported by donations and equipment from AT&T Wireless, Microsoft, Dell, ExxonMobil, CruiseAmerica® Recreational Vehicles, the Hilton Hotel-Boston Logan Airport, Minerva Network Systems, Marriott Hotels, the Allied Pilots Association and the Rack Restaurant in Boston, MA, among many other fine sponsors.
Media contacts are preferred through the web site e-mail (media@flagrun2001.org), or call Media Relations Coordinator First Officer Todd Wissing at 646-555-5555.
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