[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 112 (Monday, September 9, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8367-S8368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING ALAN BEAVEN

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Madam President, I come to the floor today to honor 
the heroism of Alan Beaven--a Californian aboard Flight 93 who helped 
prevent the terrorists from crashing another airplane into its intended 
target on September 11, 2001.
  As we approach the one-year anniversary of that horrible day, our 
thoughts turn to the heroes like Alan who gave their lives to save 
others.
  To honor the courageous passengers of Flight 93, I joined Senator 
Specter to co-sponsor the ``Flight 93 National Memorial Act,'' which I 
believe the Senate will pass today to establish a

[[Page S8368]]

memorial at the crash site in Pennsylvania. This legislation will also 
establish a Flight 93 Advisory Commission to recommend planning, 
design, construction, and long-term management of the memorial.
  I believe it is important to pass this legislation before the 
anniversary of September 11 to appropriately recognize the heroism of 
Alan Beaven and the other Flight 93 passengers.
  I would like to take a few moments to tell the world about Alan and 
his family.
  Alan Beaven wasn't supposed to be on Flight 93 that tragic day. On 
Monday, September 10, Alan and his wife Kimberly were in New York 
planning for a year long sabbatical in India to work for a humanitarian 
foundation. Alan was a top environmental lawyer in San Francisco who 
planned to volunteer his services in India.
  Alan was headed east, not west, but there was one last case involving 
pollution in the American River near Sacramento and settlement talks 
had broken down that Monday. Alan had to head back.
  Tuesday morning Alan drove to Newark, New Jersey to catch a flight to 
the West Coast. Flight 93 was 40 minutes late that day--giving 
passengers onboard time to learn about the planes that had crashed into 
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A few called home on cell 
phones to express their love and say that a group of passengers were 
determined to fight back against the hijackers--Alan Beaven was one of 
those brave men.
  No one knows for sure what happened aboard that airplane, but we do 
know countless lives were saved when that plane was diverted from its 
intended target.
  Even though Alan's seat was in the back of the airplane, his remains 
were found in the cockpit at the crash site in Pennsylvania. The Beaven 
family has also heard Alan on the cockpit voice recorder, so it is 
clear that Alan, standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing over 200 
pounds, fought with the hijackers.
  I will enter two letters I have received from the Beaven family into 
the Record. Alan's wife, Kimberly, and his son, Chris, wrote to me 
about what they heard on the cockpit voice recorder in April when the 
families of the passengers of Flight 93 were allowed to listen to the 
struggle aboard the aircraft.
  My heart goes out to Alan's wife, Kimberly, and his three children 
John, Chris, and Sonali. John earned a biology degree at UC San Diego 
where he was captain of the baseball team and an Olympic torch bearer 
when the torch went through Sacramento on its way to Salt Lake City 
this past winter. John's brother Chris attends Loyola Marymount 
University and sister Sonali is 5-years-old.
  Alan's great joy was his family. He spent hours reading to Sonali, 
scuba diving with Chris, and playing catch with John.
  In fact, John's early memories of his father were of the two of them 
playing catch for hours on end. When John was 5, the family moved from 
London to New York and before they could drop off their luggage, young 
John made Alan play catch in Central Park.
  In a tribute to Alan, the Beaven family decided not to have a 
funeral, but instead a ``Thanksgiving for the life of Alan Anthony 
Beaven.''
  And what a life it was.
  Alan was born in New Zealand on October 15, 1952. He worked as an 
attorney in New Zealand, England, New York, and California. As a top 
environmental lawyer, Alan worked on over 100 clean water cases in just 
10 years in California.
  Friends and family of Alan say they are not surprised that Alan 
risked his own life so selflessly to save others.
  The day after the terrorist attacks on our nation, Alan's secretary 
went into his office and found a single piece of paper tacked up at eye 
level on the wall in front of his desk. It was a quote he heard that 
week which summed up how he lived his life, and how he ended it when he 
joined others to fight back against the terrorists. Alan wrote, ``Fear, 
who cares?'' And these words adequately describe his actions aboard 
Flight 93.
  I did not know Alan Beaven, but this quote tells me all I need to 
know about him--that he was a fearless, loving, and devoted man.
  One year later, it is clear that our Nation has lost a superstar 
environmental lawyer, a loving father and husband, and a true hero--
Alan Beaven.
  I ask unanimous consent to print the two letters to which I referred 
in the Record.
  There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:
                                                   August 9, 2002.
     Hon. Dianne Feinstein,
     U.S. Senator, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Feinstein: My father, Alan Beaven, was among 
     those 33 passengers of United Airlines Flight 93. Their 
     hurried steps toward the cockpit were the first in an 
     international campaign against the threat of fanatical 
     hostility. For this they should be celebrated.
       My dad played a central role in the deposing of his 
     flight's assailants. Not only did he cooperate in an 
     organized effort but he commanded it as well. for this effort 
     he should be particularly acknowledged.
       The cockpit recorder (C.V.R.) substantiates my claim of his 
     exceptional heroism. At a private listening in Princeton, New 
     Jersey I twice heard his accented words. His final phrase, 
     ``Turn up!'' was shouted at 10:02:17.3 on the official C.V.R 
     transcript. Given the range of sensitivity of the cockpit 
     microphones and my father's seating placement in the rear of 
     the plane I reasonably believe that these findings indicate 
     my dad's extraordinary actions.
       Secondly, my father's remains were recovered in the front 
     of the aircraft. Authorities confirmed that D.N.A. testing 
     placed him in the cockpit at the time of impact. Again, given 
     his seating placement, this evidence undoubtedly proves his 
     centrality in the effort to regain custody of United's Flight 
     93.
       Though my father did not place a telephone call in his 
     final hour, other such correspondences indicate his 
     exceptional involvement. Reports were made of great men well 
     above the height of six feet leading the passengers toward 
     the captured cockpit. My dad, 6'3" and 215 lbs., was one of 
     few men who met this description.
       Finally, the assumption of his extraordinary bravery in 
     death is founded on the thematic valiance of his life. 
     Whether in his professional or personal activities he met 
     opposition with strength and spirit. It is understood by all 
     who knew him that he continued this trend in passing.
       In conclusion, I concede that assumptions based on the 
     thematic valiance of his life do not warrant superlative 
     public recognition. However, his stature and his physical 
     placement at impact beg it. Finally, the cockpit voice 
     recording demands it. I ask you to do all in your power to 
     issue due credit to my father. He led a group that led a 
     nation that led an international campaign against the threat 
     of fanatical hostility. My father is a hero.
           Sincerely,
     Chris Beaven.
                                  ____

                                                   August 1, 2002.
     Hon. Dianne Feinstein,
     U.S. Senate, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Feinstein: On April 18, 2002 in Princeton, NJ, 
     I heard the voice of my husband, Alan Beaven, on the cockpit 
     voice recorder of United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in 
     Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.
       I know without a doubt that I heard Alan's voice shout 
     ``Turn up!'' at the time on the tape's clock of 10:02:17.3. 
     My stepson, Chris Beaven, who was listening to the VCR at the 
     same time, independently made note of the exact same words 
     and time.
       There are at least two other occasions that I am very 
     confident that Alan's voice was recorded. These additional 
     times were of shouting and ``aargh'' noises, familiar to us 
     as Alan often ``wrestled'' playfully with his sons. The 
     distinct sounds were very similar. The times I noted for 
     these sounds were 9:38:36.3 and 9:40:17.7.
       As you know, Alan's physical remains were found in the 
     cockpit area of the plane. Alan was a 6 foot 3 inch, 205 lb 
     powerful man. A brilliant litigator who made his life's work 
     fighting for justice. I, and all who knew Alan, know he was 
     an active participant that fateful day.
       Please ensure that Alan Beaven and all the passengers of 
     Flight 93 are duly honored for their heroic actions in 
     preventing the terrorists from destroying their intended 
     target in Washington, D.C.
           Sincerely,
                                             Mrs. Kimberly Beaven.

     

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