Charles Edward Jones

Charles Edward Jones (November 8, 1952 – September 11, 2001) was a United States Air Force officer, an aeronautical engineer, computer programmer, and an astronaut in the USAF Manned Spaceflight Engineer Program. He was killed during the September 11 attacks, aboard American Airlines Flight 11.

Life Charles Edward Jones was born November 8, 1952, in Clinton, Indiana. He graduated from Wichita East High School in 1970, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Astronautical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1974, and received a Master of Science degree in astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980. He entered the USAF Manned Spaceflight Engineer Program in 1982, and was scheduled to fly on mission STS-71-B in December 1986, but the mission was canceled after the Challenger disaster in January 1986. He left the Manned Spaceflight Engineer program in 1987.

He later worked for Defense Intelligence Agency, Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., and was Systems Program Director for Intelligence and Information Systems, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.

Jones was killed at the age of 48 in the attacks of September 11, 2001, aboard American Airlines Flight 11. Jones was flying that day on a routine business trip for BAE Systems, and had been living as a retired U.S. Air Force colonel in Bedford, Massachusetts, at the time of his death. His remains were never found. He was survived by his wife Jeanette.

Jones' name is located on Panel N-74 of the National September 11 Memorial's North Pool, along with those of other passengers of Flight 11.

Military decorations His awards include:

Parachutist BadgeMaster Air and Space Missile BadgeDefense Superior Service MedalDefense Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medalwith three bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Commendation MedalJoint Service Achievement MedalAir Force Achievement MedalJoint Meritorious Unit AwardAir Force Organizational Excellence Awardwith three bronze oak leaf clustersNational Defense Service Medalwith bronze service starAir Force Longevity Service Awardwith silver leaf clusterSmall Arms Expert Marksmanship RibbonAir Force Training Ribbon Senior Missile Badge