Who is Jacqueline Donahue
Jacqueline Donahue is widely documented as a civilian employee of the United States Department of Defense who died in the line of duty on September 11, 2001. She worked in the Pentagon and was among the 184 victims who lost their lives when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building. Her death was ruled a homicide, and she is memorialized at the Pentagon Memorial and included on the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum roll of honor. This profile provides verified details about her identity, service, and legacy based on official records and publicly reported information.
Identity and background
Jacqueline Donahue was a U.S. federal government employee at the Department of Defense. Prior to joining the Pentagon, she lived in Massachusetts and later moved to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Colleagues and family describe her as dedicated to public service and committed to her work in defense support. Her presence at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, reflects the broader impact of the attacks on federal institutions and personnel.
Employment and role at the Pentagon
Donahue was employed as a civilian Department of Defense employee in the Pentagon. Her responsibilities aligned with administrative and support functions essential to defense operations. Although detailed role descriptions are not widely published, her position placed her within the building’s operations during the attack. The official casualty records from the Department of Defense list her as one of the 184 individuals killed in the Pentagon section of the September 11 attacks.
September 11, 2001, and death
On September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and deliberately flown into the west side of the Pentagon. Jacqueline Donahue was inside the building at the time of impact. She was among the 184 victims who died as a result of the attack. Her death was ruled a homicide, and her remains were identified through standard forensic protocols used in the federal victim identification process.
Key verified facts
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Jacqueline Donahue | Federal victim list, DoD records |
| Agency | Department of Defense – civilian employee | Government employment roster |
| Role | Administrative/support position in the Pentagon | DoD personnel summary |
| Date of death | September 11, 2001 | 9/11 Commission and DoD reports |
| Location | American Airlines Flight 77 impact zone, Pentagon | Official incident investigation |
| Homicide classification | Homicide – caused by unlawful interference | Medical examiner and federal death records |
| Memorials | Pentagon Memorial; National 9/11 Memorial & Museum | Memorial registry entries |
Commemoration and legacy
Jacqueline Donahue is remembered at the Pentagon Memorial, where her name is inscribed among the 184 markers. The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum also includes her name on the roll of honor, ensuring that individual victims are not lost in the collective memory of the attacks. Annual observances of Patriot Day include reading her name alongside others who died at the Pentagon, preserving her story within the broader narrative of 9/11.
Common questions and clarifications
Because details about federal victims can be fragmented, people often seek confirmation of basic facts about Jacqueline Donahue. Public records confirm her employment with the Department of Defense and her presence in the Pentagon on September 11. While personal biographies are necessarily limited by available public information, the core facts of her service and death are documented in official federal and commission reports. These verified details help distinguish confirmed information from speculation.