Tribute To One Of Flight 93's Heroes
As a
tribute to LeRoy W. Homer Jr., the 45th Space Wing will be
launching the Titan IVB rocket from the Space Launch Complex at
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. "I am grateful LeRoy was chosen
for such a distinguished honor," said Melodie Homer, LeRoy's widow
and president of The LeRoy W. Homer Jr. Foundation. The mission is
scheduled for Monday, August 18, 2003.
On September 11, 2001, LeRoy was flying, with Captain Jason
Dahl, Flight 93, which was hijacked and crashed in Shanksville, PA.
The LeRoy W. Homer Jr. Foundation was established to honor LeRoy
Homer's love of flying. The Foundation will award up to three
scholarships each year to young adults interested in pursuing
aviation, allowing them to receive private pilot certification. The
2003 scholarship recipients were Richard Valenta, Sarah Lemmer, and
Michael Scott.
Richard Valenta, a 16-year-old from Spring (TX), hopes to attend
the United States Naval Academy. Since receiving the award,
Richard's enthusiasm has been overwhelming. In two months he
completed all requirements necessary to attain a private pilot
license and is planning on taking his check ride this month on his
17th birthday. Sarah Lemmer is pursuing a B.S. in Aviation from San
Jose State University. She has completed 25 hours of flight
training and has successfully flown "solo." Michael Scott began his
flight training in late June after attending a summer camp with the
United States Naval Academy. He has completed 11 hours of flight
training. "We are extremely proud of the award recipients," said
Steven Scheri, Vice President of the Foundation. "Our winners
exemplify all-around excellence in scholastic achievement,
leadership, aviation involvement and enthusiasm."
Recent controversy regarding the FBI congressional report was
not a surprise for Melodie Homer. "I chose not to speculate. How we
choose to remember things is often different from the way they
actually happened." She maintains the FBI has no reason to mislead
the families with this report, and it substantiates information
given to her prior to recovery of the CVR. "Whether or not they
were able to take control of the plane is irrelevant to the
intended act of heroism."
"LeRoy was born a hero,
not made one on September 11th," said Brodrick Thorpe, LeRoy's
brother-in-law, who plans to attend the launch this weekend. LeRoy
Homer graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1987. As an Air
Force Captain, he flew the C-141 Starlifter out of McGuire AFB in
New Jersey. While on active duty, he served in Desert Shield and
Desert Storm. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force in
1995, and continued his military career as a reservist, during
which time he achieved the rank of Major.
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