Mark Bingham

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Mark Kendall Bingham (May 22, 1970 – September 11, 2001) was an American public relations executive who founded his own company, the Bingham Group. During the September 11 attacks in 2001, he was a passenger on board United Airlines Flight 93. Bingham was among the passengers who, along with Todd Beamer, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick, formed the plan to retake the plane from the hijackers, and led the effort that resulted in the crash of the plane into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, thwarting the hijackers' plan to crash the plane into a building in Washington, D.C., most likely either the U.S. Capitol Building or the White House.<ref name="YahooNews"/>

Bingham's efforts on United Flight 93, as well as his athletic physique,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> were noted for having prompted a reassessment of gay stereotypes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=ESPN>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early lifeEdit

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 in Miami, Florida, and Southern California before moving to the San Jose area 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 from Los Gatos High School as a two-year captain of his rugby team in 1988. As an undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeley, Bingham played on two of Coach Jack Clark's national-championship-winning rugby teams in the early 1990s. He also joined the Chi Psi fraternity, eventually becoming its president. Upon graduation at the age of 21, Bingham came out as gay to his family and friends.<ref name=WithYouPress>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=MercuryNews>Siek, Julia Prodis (September 11, 2011). "Messages for Flight 93 passenger capture fear, resolve on Sept. 11" Template:Webarchive.San Jose Mercury News</ref>

Rugby and business careerEdit

At the time of his death, Bingham had recently opened a satellite office of his public relations firm in New York City and 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.<ref>"Mark Bingham" Template:Webarchive. Gotham Knights Rugby Football Club. Retrieved September 12, 2012.</ref><ref>Barret, Jon (January 22, 2002). "Person of the year: This Is Mark Bingham".The Advocate. Nos. 854-855, {{#if:0001-8996|Template:Catalog lookup link{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-small Template:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-small Template:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-small Template:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-small Template:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-small Template:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-small Template:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-small Template:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-small Template:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-small Template:Main other}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}|Template:Error-small}}, page 45.</ref>

September 11, 2001Edit

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.<ref>Cooper, Elise (July 9, 2010). "9/11 Families: No Mosque on Our Sacred Ground". NewsReal Blog.</ref> He arrived at Terminal A at Newark International Airport at 7:40 am, ran to Gate 17, and was the last passenger to board United Airlines Flight 93, taking seat 4D, next to passenger Tom Burnett.<ref name=Guardian>Vulliamy, Ed (December 1, 2001). "The real story of flight 93'Let's roll...'" Template:Webarchive. The Guardian.</ref><ref name=MemorialBios>"Brief Biographies: Passengers and Crew of Flight 93" Template:Webarchive. Flight 93 National Memorial. Retrieved September 12, 2012.</ref>

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 11 crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower. At 9:03 am, as United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower, Flight 93 climbed to cruising altitude, heading west over New Jersey and into Pennsylvania. At 9:25 am, Flight 93 was above eastern Ohio, and pilots Jason Dahl and LeRoy Homer received an alert, "Beware of cockpit intrusion," on the cockpit computer device ACARS (Aircraft Communications and Reporting System).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Three minutes later, Cleveland controllers could hear screams over the cockpit's open microphone. Moments later, the hijackers, led by the Lebanese Ziad 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 for Washington, 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.<ref name=AmNatBiography>Evensen, Bruce J. (2000). "Beamer, Todd Morgan" Template:Webarchive. American National Biography. Retrieved May 14, 2014.</ref><ref name=PostGazette9.16.01>Template:Cite news</ref>

After the hijackers veered the plane sharply south, the passengers decided to act.<ref name=AmNatBiography/> Bingham, along with Todd Beamer, Tom Burnett, and Jeremy Glick, formed a plan to take the plane back from the hijackers.<ref name=YahooNews>"Unexpected legacy left by hero of Flight 93" Template:Webarchive. Yahoo! News. September 2, 2011.</ref> They relayed this plan to their loved ones and the authorities via telephone. Bingham got through to his aunt's home in California.<ref name=TheWeek>"The heroes of Flight 93 Template:Webarchive. The Week. September 9, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2018.</ref> 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."<ref>Veale, Scott (September 16, 2001). "Word for Word/Last Words; Voices From Above: 'I Love You, Mommy, Goodbye'" Template:Webarchive. The New York Times. Retrieved September 11, 2018.</ref><ref name=CNN>O'Brien Miles (September 19, 2001). "Calls indicate Flight 93 passengers went down fighting" Template:Webarchive. CNN. Retrieved September 11, 2018.</ref><ref>Mason, Margie (October 22, 2001). "Gay Hero Emerges From Hijacking" Template:Webarchive. The Washington Post. Retrieved September 11, 2018.</ref><ref>Hoagland, Alice ["9/11: One Day in America S1:E3 'Collapse'"] The National Geographic. Published August 30, 2021</ref> According to The Week, Hoagland formed the impression that her son spoke "confidentially" with a fellow passenger, to form a plan to retake the plane.<ref name=TheWeek/> According to ABC 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."<ref>"Mom Urged Son to Fight Flight 93 Hijackers" Template:Webarchive. ABC News. March 30, 2018, Retrieved September 11, 2018.</ref> Bingham, Burnett, and Glick were each more than Template:Convert tall, well-built and fit. As they made their decision to retake the plane, Glick related this over the phone to his wife, Lyz.<ref name=DailyTelegraph>Alderson, Andrew; Bisset, Susan (October 21, 2001). "The extraordinary last calls of Flight UA93" Template:Webarchive. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved September 11, 2018.</ref> Fellow passenger Todd Beamer, speaking to GTE-Verizon Lisa Jefferson and the FBI, related that he too was part of this group.<ref name=CNN/><ref name=DailyTelegraph/> 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.<ref name=Guardian/><ref name=AmNatBiography/><ref name=PostGazette9.16.01/>

According to the 9/11 Commission Report, after the plane's voice data recorder was 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 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at Template:Convert, killing everyone on board. The plane was 20 minutes of flying time away from its suspected target, the White House or the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. According to Vice President Dick Cheney, President George W. Bush gave the order to shoot the plane down.<ref name=AmNatBiography/>

LegacyEdit

File:12.6.11MarkBinghamPanelS-67ByLuigiNovi3.jpg

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

File:Memorial Monument- Names of Passengers-Heroes 17.JPG

Bingham's name on the Flight 93 National Memorial

U.S. Senators John McCain and Barbara Boxer honored Bingham on September 17, 2001, in a ceremony for San Francisco Bay Area victims of the attacks, presenting a folded American flag to Paul Holm.<ref>Broverman, Neal (August 5, 2011). "LGBT Heroes to Remember" Template:Webarchive. The Advocate.</ref>

The Mark 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.<ref>Atkins, Stephen E. (June 2, 2011). The 9/11 Encyclopedia: Second Edition. ABC-CLIO, p. 72. Google Books.</ref>

Bingham, along with the other passengers on Flight 93, was posthumously awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2002.<ref>"Flight 93 passengers selected for Ashe Award" . Associated Press/ESPN. Retrieved February 27, 2013.</ref>

The Eureka Valley Recreation Center's Gymnasium in San Francisco was renamed the Mark Bingham Gymnasium in August 2002.<ref>"Recreation and Park Commission Minutes" Template:Webarchive. City and County of San Francisco, Recreation and Parks Department. August 15, 2002</ref>

Singer Melissa Etheridge dedicated the song "Tuesday Morning" in 2004 to his memory.<ref>"Lucky" Template:Webarchive. melissaetheridge.com. Retrieved February 19, 2013.</ref>

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."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The award is presented at the school's annual Berkeley Charter Gala.<ref>Wilcox, Barbara (September 10, 2006). "A Mark Bingham history tour" Template:Webarchive. The Advocate.</ref><ref>"Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement by a Young Alumnus/a 2013" Template:Webarchive. California Alumni Association. University of California, Berkeley.</ref><ref>"Mark Bingham Award Recipients" Template:Webarchive. California Alumni Association. University of California, Berkeley.</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

At the National 9/11 Memorial, Bingham and other passengers from Flight 93 are memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-67.<ref>Mark Bingham Template:Webarchive. Memorial Guide: National 9/11 Memorial. Retrieved October 28, 2011.</ref>

At the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania, Bingham's name is located on one of the 40 Template:Convert panels of polished, Template:Convert granite that comprise the Memorial's Wall of Names.<ref name=MemorialBios/><ref>"New Image of Flight 93 National Memorial Unveiled" Template:Webarchive. Flight 93 National Memorial. May 4, 2009</ref>

The 2013 feature-length documentary The Rugby Player focuses on Bingham and the bond he had with his mother, Alice Hoagland, a former United Airlines flight attendant who, following his death, became an authority on airline safety and a champion of LGBT rights.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Described by ESPN as "an insightful and stereotype-shattering exploration" of Bingham's life,<ref name=ESPN/> 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.<ref name=WithYouPress/><ref>Gebhart, Betsy (June 18, 2011). "'With You' Documentary On Flight 93 Hero, Family Premieres" Template:Webarchive. CBS DC.</ref> The film premiered on Australia's ABC2 on August 20, 2014.<ref name=ESPN/>

In popular cultureEdit

Television film The Flight That Fought Back (2005) portrays the passenger uprising inside the hijacked United Airlines 93, with actor Jason LeGrande portraying Mark Bingham.
He has been portrayed by American actor Cheyenne Jackson in United 93 and Canadian actor Ty Olsson in Flight 93.
Mark was also referenced, although not by name, in the song Tuesday Morning by Melissa Etheridge on her Breakdown album.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Sister project

Mark Bingham: a Tribute to a Wonderful Man, a Great Friend, a Loving Brother, and an American Hero.
sffog.org: Mark's rugby team, the S.F. Fog (Mark's Memorial page).
Advocate Magazine article on Bingham.
Daily Cal Article referencing Mark attacking Stanford tree.
Mark Bingham Scholarship Fund.
Official Website of The Bingham Cup.
Team Bingham - Mark Bingham Scholarship fundraising Organization.
[https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 2424583

 | name/{{#if:{{#invoke:ustring|match|1=2424583|2=^nm}}
   | Template:Trim/
   | nm2424583/
   }}
 | {{#if: {{#property:P345}}
   | name/Template:First word/
   | find?q=%7B%7B%23if%3A+Mark+Bingham%0A++++++%7C+Mark+Bingham%0A++++++%7C+%5B%5B%3ATemplate%3APAGENAMEBASE%5D%5D%0A++++++%7D%7D&s=nm
   }}
 }}{{#if: 2424583  {{#property:P345}} | {{#switch: 
 | award | awards = awards Awards for | biography | bio = bio Biography for
 }}}} {{#if: Mark Bingham
 | Mark Bingham
 | Template:PAGENAMEBASE
 }}] at IMDb{{#if: 2424583{{#property:P345}}
 | Template:EditAtWikidata
 | Template:Main other

}}{{#switch:{{#invoke:string2|matchAny|^nm.........|^nm.......|nm|.........|source=2424583|plain=false}}

 | 1 | 3 =  Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning
 | 4 = Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning

}}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:IMDb name with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|showblankpositional=1| 1 | 2 | id | name | section }}

Template:United Airlines Flight 93 Template:Arthur Ashe Courage Template:Casualties of the September 11 attacks Template:Portal bar Template:Authority control