[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19721]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



     A TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN JASON M. DAHL, UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 93

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                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 11, 2001

  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Captain Jason Matthew 
Dahl, the pilot of United Airlines Flight 93, and a true American hero. 
He was doing what he loved to do when he lost his life along with 
thousands of others in the horrible assault on our nation that occurred 
on September 11. His bravery on that flight was reflective of the 
American spirit displayed in abundance by countless Americans that day. 
Jason grew up in the San Jose community, and his parents, who were the 
proprietors of Dahl's Dairy Delivery, used to deliver milk to Hillsdale 
Elementary School, where I served as principal.
  From his childhood years, Jason had a strong desire to fly. His 
passionate devotion to this endeavor was only matched during his 
lifetime by his devotion to his family. Jason was born the youngest of 
five children on November 2, 1957, in San Jose, California, and grew up 
on Haga Drive, in the house where his widowed mother, Mildred, still 
lives. He attended Hillsdale Middle School and Sylvandale Middle 
School, both of which I would eventually helm as principal. He first 
manifested his affinity for flight during his years at Sylvandale, 
where he started building radio-controlled airplanes, and would fly 
these planes with his friend, Roger. He then joined the Civil Air 
Patrol, and was soon taking flying lessons from Amelia Reid at Reid 
Hillview Airport. He was a quick study, and was flying solo by the 
youthful age of 16. During this early period, Jason gave his father a 
photograph, depicting the two of them standing in front of a Cessna, on 
which Jason had written: ``Maybe someday this will be a 747.''
  Jason attended my alma mater, San Jose State University, from 1975 to 
1980, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical 
Operations. While at San Jose State, Jason developed close, lasting 
relationships with a group of classmates, fellow members of the 
``Flying Twenties'' club, who cemented their friendships while pumping 
fuel at Reid Hillview Airport in order to earn money to rent planes and 
buy their own fuel. Jason supported himself during his college years 
working at this job, as well as by flying advertising banners, doing 
aerial photo surveys, and teaching private flying lessons.
  After graduating from college, Jason was hired by Ron Nelson 
Construction as a corporate pilot. A few years later, he applied to the 
commercial airlines, and he realized his dream when he got the call 
from United Airlines in June 1985. He steadily moved up the ranks at 
United, and when he was offered the position of flight instructor, he 
accepted it. Although Jason loved to fly, working at the training 
center allowed him to spend more time with his family.
  Balancing the demands of career and family is a daunting challenge, 
especially for a pilot, but family was greatly important to Jason. No 
matter how busy his flight schedule, he always made the time for his 
wife, Sandy, and his children, Matt and Jennifer.
  Captain Dahl was an emblem of the American dream. He was a committed 
family man and a successful pilot. His heroism on the morning of 
September 11, 2001, saved the lives of countless Americans in 
Washington, DC, and quite possibly many Members of Congress and others 
who work in the United States Capitol Building. Jason's mother recently 
told me that though she accepted his tremendous love of flying early 
on, she never could quell the concern any pilot's mother has for her 
child's safety. She said that Jason would reassure her by saying that 
if he ever were to experience an airborne disaster, he would be sure to 
go down over trees or an open field, and not over a populated area. 
Over the woods of western Pennsylvania on the morning of September 11, 
Captain Jason M. Dahl kept his word.

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