Charles Burlingame

Who was Charles Burlingame?

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

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 in California.

Charles Burlingame graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1971. In the Navy, he flew F-4 Phantom jets, rising to the rank of captain. In 1979, Burlingame left active duty with the Navy and joined American Airlines though, he remained in the Naval Reserves. He was an honor graduate of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School aboard NAS Miramar. Burlingame volunteered to be activated during the Gulf War. Burlingame also spent time working in The Pentagon, while in the Naval Reserves.

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.