Remembering Richard Guadagno | September 26, 1962 - September 11, 2001

On view September 3 - December 31, 2026

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Photograph of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee Richard Guadagno with the USFWS seal at right and his life dates below

 

This installation has been guest-curated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Museum and includes personal items and tributes from its collection. 

Richard Guadagno was the Refuge Manager at Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge in California. He was killed on September 11, 2001, when United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Rich’s first permanent assignment was as a Wildlife Inspector in Philadelphia. Other duty stations included Great Swamp and Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuges in New Jersey, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware, and Baskett Slough and Ankeny National Wildlife Refuges in Oregon. 

Rich greeted each day with enthusiasm and curiosity. He loved being outdoors, scuba diving and surfing, riding motorcycles, playing one of his eight guitars, and growing bonsai and orchids. He studied the stars, did taxidermy, collected rocks, loved to cook, and enjoyed many adventures with his dog Raven.

Rich was on his way home to California on September 11 after celebrating his grandmother’s 100th birthday with family in New Jersey. Since his Federal law enforcement badge and credentials were found in the remains near the plane’s cockpit, it is believed that he took an active role in confronting the terrorists. 

In honor of his actions that day, Rich was posthumously awarded the U.S. Department of the Interior Valor Award. Congress established the Richard J. Guadagno Visitor Center at Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge in 2002. 

Twenty-five years have passed since that fateful September morning. This case display encourages visitors to reflect on the life, service, and dedication of Richard Guadagno—and all the other Americans lost that day. 

Resources

Accessibility

  • Visitors with Color Vision Deficiency (CVD) may borrow EnChroma-enhanced eyewear to aid in seeing an expanded range of colors more clearly and vibrantly during their gallery experience.

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