WEBVTT - Way Black History Fact - The Unsung Hero of 9/11

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<v Speaker 1>Right now. It's time for the Way Black History Fact

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<v Speaker 1>and Today's Way Black History Fact is sponsored by Major

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<v Speaker 1>Threads for innovative, fashionable sportswear checkmajorthreads dot com. Today's reading

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<v Speaker 1>comes from the Black Information Network. Many Information, Sorry, many

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<v Speaker 1>Americans know about the heroic acts of the pilots and

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<v Speaker 1>passengers of United Airlines Flight ninety three, a plane that

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<v Speaker 1>was hijacked by nine to eleven terrorists and later crashed

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<v Speaker 1>into a field in Pennsylvania. Everyone on that aircraft perished,

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<v Speaker 1>including the assailants and the victims, have been immortalized through

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<v Speaker 1>many memorials, of vigils and media. While his story has

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<v Speaker 1>been told, many are still unaware of First Officer Leroy W.

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<v Speaker 1>Homer Junior, the black Man co cop piloting the plane

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<v Speaker 1>on that fateful day. This will be a recounting of

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<v Speaker 1>his life, how he fought back against hijackers, and how

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<v Speaker 1>his legacy continues to shape lives today. Born on August

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<v Speaker 1>twenty seven, nineteen sixty five, Homer grew up on Long

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<v Speaker 1>Island and cultivated a love of planes early on, from

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<v Speaker 1>assembling model airplanes to watching planes take off from the

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<v Speaker 1>local airport. He would embark on a path to make

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<v Speaker 1>his dreams come true. In high school, he started taking

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<v Speaker 1>flight lets at age fifteen, and even took his first

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<v Speaker 1>solo flight when he was sixteen. Homer obtained his private

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<v Speaker 1>pivot pilot license before attending the US Air Force Academy

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<v Speaker 1>in nineteen eighty seven. After graduation, he served in operations

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<v Speaker 1>Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and flew humanitarian missions in Somalia,

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<v Speaker 1>the latter often being life threatening experiences. Once then, the

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<v Speaker 1>esteemed pilot wrapped up his active duty service in nineteen

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<v Speaker 1>ninety five with the rank of major. He joined the

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<v Speaker 1>United Airlines as a commercial pilot. Nineteen ninety five was

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<v Speaker 1>the same year he and his future wife, Melody Thorpe

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<v Speaker 1>began talking to each other over the phone. Within two years,

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<v Speaker 1>they got engaged and tied the knot in nineteen ninety

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<v Speaker 1>eight and welcome child in November of two thousand. Homer,

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<v Speaker 1>thirty six, was one of seven crew members on flight

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<v Speaker 1>ninety three, which was carrying thirty seven passengers on the

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<v Speaker 1>morning of September eleventh, two thousand and one, co piloting

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<v Speaker 1>with Captain Jason Dahl. The two pilots got word from

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<v Speaker 1>United Airlines dispatch to be cautious of COCKPITQ intrusion. Forty

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<v Speaker 1>six minutes into the flight, Homer could be heard saying mayday,

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<v Speaker 1>along with the sounds of a physical struggle as recorded

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<v Speaker 1>through various channels. For hijackers redirected the plane toward Washington, DC,

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<v Speaker 1>where they planned to crash the aircraft into the US Capitol.

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<v Speaker 1>The terrorists struggled to fly the plane because they couldn't

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<v Speaker 1>disable the autopilot function on the Bowing seven fifty seven.

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<v Speaker 1>As a result, they were forced to bring back Homer

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<v Speaker 1>and Dahl, who were the first to fight back against

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<v Speaker 1>the hijackers. The passengers also joined in on the counter attack,

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<v Speaker 1>which ended in the plane careening into an open field

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<v Speaker 1>in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Their heroic sacrifice saved many lives in Washington,

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<v Speaker 1>d C. That day. After the horrible events of nine

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<v Speaker 1>to eleven, Melody Homer created a foundation named after her

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<v Speaker 1>late husband in two thousand and three to help underrepresented

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<v Speaker 1>youth fulfill their dreams of flying. The Leroy Homer Junior

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<v Speaker 1>Foundation supports high school and college students turn their private

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<v Speaker 1>pilot's license and pursue careers in aviation. The nonprofit also

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<v Speaker 1>provide scholarships and outreach programs aimed at getting children and

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<v Speaker 1>young people interested in the industry. Let me make sure

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<v Speaker 1>that I get the rest of this in for you

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<v Speaker 1>here right. In an interview with w hqr's Coastline Melody,

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<v Speaker 1>Homer told host Rachel Lewis Hilburn that LeRoy's legacy had

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<v Speaker 1>been hijacked and overlooked. Captain Jason Dahl Leroy, the crew,

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<v Speaker 1>they were just glossed over and all the coverage, she said,

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<v Speaker 1>back in September of twenty twenty two, and it came

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<v Speaker 1>down to there were four strong men on the flight.

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<v Speaker 1>That was kind of the narrative that went on. You

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<v Speaker 1>can make correction after correction after correction. It's very difficult

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<v Speaker 1>to change that narrative. Hilbern and Homer also discuss the

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<v Speaker 1>importance of people knowing Homer was a black biracial man

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<v Speaker 1>who worked hard for his achievements in the industry dominated

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<v Speaker 1>by white men for decades. Many Americans were unaware of

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<v Speaker 1>the accomplishments of the pilot and the pilot's race. And

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<v Speaker 1>then this goes on to discuss his military career, how

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<v Speaker 1>he made the transformation to commercial aviation, and how challenging

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<v Speaker 1>that was and it ends with her saying he's a

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<v Speaker 1>great inspiration for a lot of African Americans other minorities

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<v Speaker 1>who think that's not achievable, even women. I employ you

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<v Speaker 1>to read the entire article again at binnews dot com

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<v Speaker 1>and leave it there