“The Truth Must Be Known”
Shortly after the bombing, the victims’ families, friends, and advocates began to organize on both sides of the Atlantic for the common purpose of collective action and advocacy. Their continuing goals include justice for their loved ones, improved aviation and airport security, and education about Pan Am Flight 103 and terrorism. Among their many actions, members have testified at Congressional and Senate hearings, proved influential in the drafting and approval of the Aviation Security Improvement Acts of 1989 and 1990, lobbied for the creation of the President’s Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism (PCAST) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and continue to serve on the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC). In the United States, the largest of these groups is the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc., which remains active to this day.
From group counseling and annual memorial services to celebrating marriages and the births of grandchildren, survivors of those lost in the tragedy have transformed a shared experience of loss into a powerful community. Their mutual support of one another during this multi-decade journey has grown to include the victims of other terrorist acts, including those affected by the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Flight 93.
The Memorial Vigil in Commemoration of the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, also known as the 103rd Day Rally, was held in Lafayette Park, Washington, D.C. The program included the reading of all 270 victims’ names as well as general readings from their loved ones and a closing call to action by Bert Ammerman, whose brother, Thomas, was among the passengers killed in the bombing. The same day, several family members met with President George H.W. Bush to discuss their concerns about the investigation of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 and aviation security, generally.
These pinback buttons belonged to Francis J. Duggan, an advisor to the victims’ families and appointee to PCAST. Duggan also served as the President of Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. for several years.
Public awareness campaigns by the victims’ families and advocates have included the production of items like this bumper sticker, as well as t-shirts, banners, signs, and other materials.
The first official meeting of Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. was held in New Jersey on February 19, 1989. The group’s newsletter, first published in March 1989, includes information about meetings and committee positions, developments in the investigation of the bombing, media coverage, and remembrances of loved ones. The newsletter was renamed Truth Quest in October 1992 and is still published under that title today.
The President’s Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism (PCAST) was created by George H.W. Bush on August 4, 1989 with the signing of Executive Order 12686. Its purpose was to evaluate aviation security, using Pan Am Flight 103 as a starting point. The families of those killed in the disaster were instrumental in lobbying for the creation of PCAST, and several testified in Congressional hearings throughout the investigation. PCAST released its final report on May 15, 1990. It outlined many of the security lapses of Pan Am and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), decried the lack of a “national will” to fight terrorism, and placed significant blame for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 on a “seriously flawed” aviation security system and the failure of the FAA to enforce regulations. Recommendations included in the PCAST final report formed the foundation of the Aviation Security Improvement Act of 1990.
During the prolonged process of committing the two indicted suspects for trial, family members and advocates of the victims regularly attended hearings and open proceedings of the United States Congress and United Nations to advocate for justice for their loved ones. Several individuals and families attended the meeting of the United Nations Security Council on November 11, 1993, where Resolution 883 imposing further sanctions on Libya was approved.