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Mark Bingham

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This article is about Mark Bingham of Flight 93. For the musician and producer, seeMark Bingham (musician).

Mark Bingham
Born
Mark Kendall Bingham

(1970-05-22)May 22, 1970
Phoenix, Arizona,U.S.[1]
DiedSeptember 11, 2001(2001-09-11)(aged 31)
Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania,U.S. aboardUnited Airlines Flight 93
Cause of deathPlane crash(September 11 attacks)
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley
Height6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Rugby union career
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Los Gatos High School
California Golden Bears
San Francisco Fog RFC		 ()

Mark Kendall Bingham(May 22, 1970 – September 11, 2001) was an Americanpublic relationsexecutive who founded his own company, the Bingham Group. During theSeptember 11 attacksin 2001, he was a passenger on boardUnited Airlines Flight 93.Bingham was among the passengers who, along withTodd Beamer,Tom BurnettandJeremy Glick,formed the plan to retake the plane from thehijackers,and led the effort that resulted in the crash of the plane into a field nearShanksville, Pennsylvania,thwarting the hijackers' plan to crash the plane into a building inWashington, D.C.,most likely either theU.S. Capitol Buildingor theWhite House.[2]

His heroic efforts on United Flight 93, as well as his athletic physique,[3]were noted for having prompted a reassessment ofgay stereotypes.[4][5][6][7][8][9]

Early life[edit]

Mark Bingham was born on May 22, 1970, the only child of Alice Hoagland and Gerald Bingham. When Mark was two years old, his parents divorced. Raised by his mother and her family, Mark grew up inMiami, Florida,andSouthern Californiabefore moving to theSan Josearea in 1983. Bingham was an aspiring filmmaker, and as a teenager, he began using a video camera as a personal diary to document his life and those of his family and friends. He graduated fromLos Gatos High Schoolas a two-year captain of his rugby team in 1988. As an undergraduate at theUniversity of California, Berkeley,Bingham played on two of CoachJack Clark'snational-championship-winning rugby teams in the early 1990s. He also joined theChi Psifraternity, eventually becoming its president. Upon graduation at the age of 21, Binghamcame out as gayto his family and friends.[10][11]

Rugby and business career[edit]

A large athlete at 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) and 225 pounds (102 kg), Bingham also played for thegay-inclusiverugby unionteamSan Francisco Fog RFC.[12]Bingham played No. 8 in their first two friendly matches. He played in their first tournament, and taught his teammates his favoriterugbysongs.[13]

At the time of his death, Bingham had recently opened a satellite office of his public relations firm inNew York Cityand was spending more time on the East Coast. He discussed plans with his friend Scott Glaessgen to form a New York City rugby team,the Gotham Knights.[14][15]

September 11, 2001[edit]

On the morning of September 11, Bingham overslept and nearly missed his flight, on his way to San Francisco to be an usher in his fraternity brother Joseph Salama's wedding.[16]He arrived at Terminal A atNewark International Airportat 7:40 am, ran to Gate 17, and was the last passenger to boardUnited Airlines Flight 93,taking seat 4D, next to passengerTom Burnett.[17][18]

United Airlines Flight 93 was scheduled to depart at 8:00 am, but the plane did not depart until 42 minutes later due to runway traffic delays. Four minutes later,American Airlines Flight 11crashed into theWorld Trade Center's North Tower. At 9:03 am, asUnited Airlines Flight 175crashed into the South Tower, Flight 93 climbed to cruising altitude, heading west overNew Jerseyand intoPennsylvania.At 9:25 am, Flight 93 was above easternOhio,and pilots Jason Dahl andLeRoy Homerreceived an alert, "Beware of cockpit intrusion," on the cockpit computer deviceACARS(Aircraft Communications and Reporting System).[19]Three minutes later, Cleveland controllers could hear screams over the cockpit's open microphone. Moments later, the hijackers, led by the LebaneseZiad Jarrah,took over the plane's controls and told passengers, "Keep remaining sitting. We have a bomb on board". Bingham and the other passengers were herded into the back of the plane. Within six minutes, the plane changed course and headed forWashington, D.C.Several of the passengers made phone calls to loved ones, who informed them about the two planes that had crashed into the World Trade Center.[20][21]

After the hijackers veered the plane sharply south, the passengers decided to act.[20]Bingham, along withTodd Beamer,Tom Burnett,andJeremy Glick,formed a plan to take the plane back from the hijackers.[2]They relayed this plan to their loved ones and the authorities via telephone. Bingham got through to his aunt's home in California.[22]Bingham stated, "This is Mark Bingham. I want to let you guys know that I love you, in case I don't see you again...I'm on United Airlines, Flight 93. It's being hijacked."[23][24][25][26]According toThe Week,Hoagland formed the impression that her son spoke "confidentially" with a fellow passenger, to form a plan to retake the plane.[22]According toABC News,the call cut off after about three minutes. Hoagland, after seeing news reports of the plane's hijacking, called him back and left two messages for him, calmly saying, "Mark, this is your mom. The news is that it's been hijacked by terrorists. They are planning to probably use the plane as a target to hit some site on the ground. I would say go ahead and do everything you can to overpower them, because they are hellbent. Try to call me back if you can."[27]Bingham, Burnett, and Glick were each more than 6 feet (1.83 m) tall, well-built and fit. As they made their decision to retake the plane, Glick related this over the phone to his wife, Lyz.[28]Fellow passenger Todd Beamer, speaking to GTE-Verizon Lisa Jefferson and the FBI, related that he too was part of this group.[24][28]They were joined by other passengers, including Lou Nacke, Rich Guadagno, Alan Beaven, Honor Elizabeth Wainio, Linda Gronlund, and William Cashman, along with flight attendants Sandra Bradshaw and Cee Cee Ross-Lyles, in discussing their options and voting on a course of action, ultimately deciding to storm the cockpit and take over the plane.[17][20][21]

According to the9/11 Commission Report,after the plane'svoice data recorderwas recovered, it revealed pounding and crashing sounds against the cockpit door and shouts and screams in English. "Let's get them!" a passenger cries. A hijacker shouts, "Allāhu ʾakbar!"(" God is great "). Jarrah repeatedly pitched the plane to knock passengers off their feet, but the passengers apparently managed to invade the cockpit, where one was heard shouting," In the cockpit. If we don't, we'll die. "At 10:02 am, a hijacker ordered," Pull it down! Pull it down! "The 9/11 Commission later reported that the plane's control wheel was turned hard to the right, causing it to roll on its back and plow into an empty field inShanksville, Pennsylvania,at 580 miles per hour (930 km/h), killing everyone on board. The plane was 20 minutes of flying time away from its suspected target, theWhite Houseor theU.S. Capitol Buildingin Washington, D.C. According to Vice PresidentDick Cheney,PresidentGeorge W. Bushgave the order to shoot the plane down.[20]

Legacy[edit]

Bingham's name is located on Panel S-67 of theNational September 11 Memorial's South Pool, along with those of other passengers of Flight 93.

Bingham is survived by his parents and the Hoagland family members who played a part in his upbringing, by his stepmother and various stepsiblings,[17][18]and by his partner of six years, Paul Holm.[29][30]Holm described Bingham as a brave, competitive man, saying, "He hated to lose—at anything." He was known to proudly display a scar he received after being gored at theRunning of the BullsinPamplona,Spain.[30]He is buried at Madronia Cemetery,Saratoga, California.[31]

Bingham's name on the Flight 93 National Memorial

U.S. SenatorsJohn McCainandBarbara Boxerhonored Bingham on September 17, 2001, in a ceremony forSan Francisco Bay Areavictims of the attacks, presenting a foldedAmerican flagto Paul Holm.[32]

TheMark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament(referred to as the Bingham Cup), a biennial international rugby union competition predominantly for gay and bisexual men, was established in 2002 in his memory.[33]

Bingham, along with the other passengers on Flight 93, was posthumously awarded theArthur Ashe Courage Awardin 2002.[34]

The Eureka Valley Recreation Center's Gymnasium in San Francisco was renamed the Mark Bingham Gymnasium in August 2002.[35]

SingerMelissa Etheridgededicated the song "Tuesday Morning"in 2004 to his memory.[36]

Beginning in 2005, the UC Berkeley Foundation and the California Alumni Association named the Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement by Young Alumni in his honor. According to the university, the goal of the award is to honor "a young alumnus/a who graduated within the last 10 years who has made a significant contribution to his/her community, country, or the world at large."[37]The award is presented at the school's annual Berkeley Charter Gala.[38][39][40][41]

At theNational 9/11 Memorial,Bingham and other passengers from Flight 93 are memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-67.[42]

At theFlight 93 National Memorialin Pennsylvania, Bingham's name is located on one of the 40 8-foot-tall (2.4-meter) panels of polished, 3-inch-thick (75-millimeter) granite that comprise the Memorial's Wall of Names.[18][43]

The 2013 feature-length documentaryThe Rugby Playerfocuses on Bingham and the bond he had with his mother, Alice Hoagland, a formerUnited Airlinesflight attendant who, following his death, became an authority on airline safety and a champion ofLGBT rights.[44]Described byESPNas "an insightful and stereotype-shattering exploration" of Bingham's life,[8]the film, directed by Scott Gracheff, relies on the vast amount of video footage Bingham himself shot beginning in his teens until weeks before his death. The film's alternate title,With You,is a popular rugby term, and one of Bingham's favorite expressions.[10][45]The film premiered on Australia'sABC2on August 20, 2014.[8]

In popular culture[edit]

  • Mark was also referenced, although not by name, in the song Tuesday Morning by Melissa Etheridge on her Breakdown album.[46]

References[edit]

  1. ^Atkins, Stephen E. (2011).The 9/11 Encyclopedia, 2nd edition.Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 71.ISBN978-1-598-84922-6.
  2. ^ab"Unexpected legacy left by hero of Flight 93"ArchivedMarch 5, 2016, at theWayback Machine.Yahoo! News.September 2, 2011.
  3. ^King, Samantha (February 2009). "Virtually Normal: Mark Bingham, the War on Terror, and the Sexual Politics of Sport".Journal of Sport and Social Issues.33(1): 12.doi:10.1177/0193723508328631.S2CID144095777.
  4. ^Thomas, Kevin (June 15, 2011). "Frameline 2011: A Closer Look at the Coming Weekend".San Francisco Examiner.
  5. ^Macguire, Eoghan (April 10, 2019)."The 9/11 hero whose legacy lives on through rugby".CNN.Archived fromthe originalon April 11, 2019.RetrievedSeptember 13,2021.
  6. ^Cormack, Lucy (August 20, 2014)."Gay rugby advocate Mark Bingham celebrated in documentary".Sydney Morning Herald.Archived fromthe originalon September 13, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 13,2021.
  7. ^Nieves, Evelyn (January 16, 2002)."Passenger on Jet: Gay Hero or Hero Who Was Gay?".The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon November 11, 2012.RetrievedSeptember 13,2021.
  8. ^abcWithers, Andy (August 20, 2014)."Mark Bingham: the rugby player and his legacy".ESPN.Archived fromthe originalon September 13, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 13,2021.
  9. ^Buzinski, Jim (September 10, 2021)."Gay rugby player Mark Bingham was a hero of 9/11".Outsports.Vox Media.Archivedfrom the original on September 15, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 15,2021.
  10. ^abWoolf, Tiffany (July 2011)."Sneak Preview Screening: Outfest: The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival".Archived fromthe originalon October 17, 2012.
  11. ^Siek, Julia Prodis (September 11, 2011)."Messages for Flight 93 passenger capture fear, resolve on Sept. 11"ArchivedSeptember 11, 2018, at theWayback Machine.San Jose Mercury News
  12. ^Barrett, Jon (January 22, 2002). "Person of the year: This Is Mark Bingham".The Advocate.Nos. 854-855,ISSN0001-8996,pp. 41, 42.
  13. ^Zavos, Spiro (December 23, 2009)."Mark Bingham is rugby union's iconic gay player"ArchivedOctober 6, 2014, at theWayback Machine.The Roar.
  14. ^"Mark Bingham"ArchivedNovember 2, 2009, at theWayback Machine.Gotham Knights Rugby Football Club. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  15. ^Barret, Jon (January 22, 2002). "Person of the year: This Is Mark Bingham".The Advocate.Nos. 854-855,ISSN0001-8996,page 45.
  16. ^Cooper, Elise (July 9, 2010)."9/11 Families: No Mosque on Our Sacred Ground".NewsReal Blog.
  17. ^abcVulliamy, Ed (December 1, 2001)."The real story of flight 93'Let's roll...'"ArchivedNovember 19, 2016, at theWayback Machine.The Guardian.
  18. ^abc"Brief Biographies: Passengers and Crew of Flight 93"ArchivedSeptember 5, 2012, at theWayback Machine.Flight 93 National Memorial.Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  19. ^Atkins, Stephen E. (2008).The 9/11 Encyclopedia.Westport, CT: Praeger Security International. p. 284.ISBN978-0-275-99432-7.
  20. ^abcdEvensen, Bruce J. (2000)."Beamer, Todd Morgan"ArchivedMay 15, 2014, at theWayback Machine.American National Biography.Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  21. ^abMcKinnon, Jim (September 16, 2001)."The phone line from Flight 93 remained open when a GTE operator heard Todd Beamer say," Are you guys ready? Okay. Let's roll... "".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.Archivedfrom the original on January 18, 2012.RetrievedMay 15,2014.
  22. ^ab"The heroes of Flight 93ArchivedSeptember 11, 2018, at theWayback Machine.The Week.September 9, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  23. ^Veale, Scott (September 16, 2001)."Word for Word/Last Words; Voices From Above: 'I Love You, Mommy, Goodbye'"ArchivedSeptember 12, 2018, at theWayback Machine.The New York Times.Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  24. ^abO'Brien Miles (September 19, 2001)."Calls indicate Flight 93 passengers went down fighting"ArchivedSeptember 11, 2018, at theWayback Machine.CNN.Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  25. ^Mason, Margie (October 22, 2001)."Gay Hero Emerges From Hijacking"ArchivedJuly 15, 2018, at theWayback Machine.The Washington Post.Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  26. ^Hoagland, Alice [ "9/11: One Day in America S1:E3 'Collapse'" ]The National Geographic.Published August 30, 2021
  27. ^"Mom Urged Son to Fight Flight 93 Hijackers"ArchivedSeptember 11, 2018, at theWayback Machine.ABC News.March 30, 2018, Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  28. ^abAlderson, Andrew; Bisset, Susan (October 21, 2001)."The extraordinary last calls of Flight UA93"ArchivedNovember 7, 2018, at theWayback Machine.The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  29. ^Barrett, Jon. "Person of the year: This Is Mark Bingham".The Advocate.January 22, 2002, Nos. 854-855,ISSN0001-8996,pages 43–47.
  30. ^abDahir, Mubarak (October 23, 2001)."Our Heroes: Whether It Was By Saving Lives or Simply Living Life to Its Fullest, Gay Men and Lesbians Were Among the Thousands of Americans who, on September 11, Showed Humanity's True Spirit"ArchivedNovember 1, 2014, at theWayback Machine.The Advocate.ISSN0001-8996,pages 42–45.
  31. ^Wilson, Scott.Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons,3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Location 3928). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.
  32. ^Broverman, Neal (August 5, 2011)."LGBT Heroes to Remember"ArchivedMay 17, 2014, at theWayback Machine.The Advocate.
  33. ^Atkins, Stephen E. (June 2, 2011).The 9/11 Encyclopedia: Second Edition.ABC-CLIO, p. 72.Google Books.
  34. ^"Flight 93 passengers selected for Ashe Award"ArchivedJanuary 7, 2013, at theWayback Machine.Associated Press/ESPN.Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  35. ^"Recreation and Park Commission Minutes"ArchivedAugust 7, 2012, at theWayback Machine.City and County ofSan Francisco,Recreation and Parks Department. August 15, 2002
  36. ^"Lucky"ArchivedOctober 10, 2012, at theWayback Machine.melissaetheridge. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
  37. ^"Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement by Young Alumni | Berkeley Awards".awards.berkeley.edu.Archivedfrom the original on March 27, 2023.RetrievedMarch 27,2023.
  38. ^Wilcox, Barbara (September 10, 2006)."A Mark Bingham history tour"ArchivedSeptember 15, 2013, at theWayback Machine.The Advocate.
  39. ^"Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement by a Young Alumnus/a 2013"ArchivedSeptember 20, 2015, at theWayback Machine.California Alumni Association.University of California, Berkeley.
  40. ^"Mark Bingham Award Recipients"ArchivedMay 17, 2014, at theWayback Machine.California Alumni Association. University of California, Berkeley.
  41. ^"BEar News: Innovation for the public good".us12.campaign-archive.Archivedfrom the original on June 17, 2024.RetrievedMarch 27,2023.
  42. ^Mark BinghamArchivedJuly 27, 2013, at theWayback Machine.Memorial Guide:National 9/11 Memorial.Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  43. ^"New Image of Flight 93 National Memorial Unveiled"ArchivedNovember 4, 2012, at theWayback Machine.Flight 93 National Memorial. May 4, 2009
  44. ^"About the Film".2012. Archived fromthe originalon June 20, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 27,2013.
  45. ^Gebhart, Betsy (June 18, 2011)."'With You' Documentary On Flight 93 Hero, Family Premieres"ArchivedMay 17, 2014, at theWayback Machine.CBS DC.
  46. ^""Tuesday Morning," 9/11 | Commonweal Magazine ".commonwealmagazine.org.September 11, 2011.RetrievedJune 28,2024.

Further reading[edit]

  • Barrett, JonHero of Flight 93: Mark Bingham,Advocate Books, 2002ISBN1-55583-780-8
  • "UNITED FLIGHT 93: On Doomed Flight, Passengers Vowed to Perish Fighting"The New York Times.September 13, 2001

External links[edit]

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