# Presidential Medal of Freedom for the 4th plane passengers?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-medal-of-freedom-for-the-4th-plane-passengers/118147>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 10, 2002, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-medal-of-freedom-for-the-4th-plane-passengers/118147 "2002-07-10T01:34:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2002, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-medal-of-freedom-for-the-4th-plane-passengers/118147/1 "2002-07-10T01:34:17Z")

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After it became known that the passengers of the 4th hijacked plane most likely overpowered the hijackers, causing it to crash prematurely rather than making it to its target, there was talk of postumously awarding them all the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the US’s highest civilian honor). However, I’ve not heard anything more about this since then.

Anyone know if this has been decided, either for or against? And if against, why? As great as the loss of life was at the WTC, the additional images of the White House or (even worse) the US Capitol in smoldering ruins being broadcast worldwide would have been even more demoralizing…

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**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2002, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-medal-of-freedom-for-the-4th-plane-passengers/118147/2 "2002-07-10T03:08:58Z")

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I don’t know about the status of that, but they definitely deserve some sort of official post humous recogniztion. Is the Medal of Freedom the highest award for bravery given to civilians?