January 27, 1967 by danapommet
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Description
This is a repost of a December 10, 2008 posting after my visit to the Kennedy Space Center. I had not done my research for that posting and I have since deleted the original posting. This plaque is located in the Astronauts Memorial Garden, Kennedy Space Center, on the east coast of Florida
Apollo Saturn-204 (commonly known as Apollo 1) was scheduled to be the first manned mission of the US Apollo manned lunar landing program, with a target launch date of February 21, 1967. That flight was not scheduled to orbit the earth but to launch and land in the south Atlantic Ocean. A cabin fire during a launch pad test on January 27, 1967, on Launch Pad 34, at Cape Canaveral, Florida took the life of all three crew members, Command Pilot Virgil Gus Grissom, Senior Pilot Edward H. White and Pilot Roger B. Chaffee and destroyed the Command Module (see the lower right of the plaque). The astronauts deaths were attributed to a wide range of lethal design and construction flaws in the early Apollo Command Module. The manned phase of the project was delayed for 20 months while these problems were corrected. The name Apollo 1, chosen by the crew, was officially retired by NASA in commemoration of them on April 24, 1967.
I was a member of the US Navy Helicopter Anti Submarine Squadron Five (HS-5), that was already heading south to be on station for the recovery of Apollo I, between Brazil and the Ascension Islands, roughly halfway between South America and Africa. Forty six years later and it is still a memory that I can not get out of my mind. Three of the twenty four astronauts that lost their lives in the US Space program. The X-15, T-38 and F-104 were the planes that the men of the left side of the plaque were training in or in the case of the X-15, it was a test flight. Verified most of this data on Wikipedia, NASA and other web sites.
Thanks for stopping by, taking a look and for all your previous favs and comments. They are very much appreciated.
Dana
Comments (31)
Faemike55
Very beautiful plaque Thanks for sharing it with us as well as your part in this program
eekdog Online Now!
i really enjoy when you post great photos Dana, cause you always provide top notch info my friend. i think i remember this one. super on the zoom. hope your relaxing well after you trip.
durleybeachbum
Fascinating!
bmac62
Outstanding way to remember for us all Dana. Glad you reposted...well done.
Leije
Interesting infos and touching memories for you, superb shot, Dana !
adrie
This is a beautiful plaque Dana, excellent capture with great info of memories for you Dana.
sandra46
GREAT SHOT
jocko500
very well done and yes memory like that will not go away.
netot
Yes, I remember that, I was a kid, but had a great interest in space and Astronauts.
mgtcs
This is a very precious image and tribute my friend, fabulous work!
rbowen
Beautiful capture and dedication! Thank you for the information!
whaleman
Quite a marvellous plaque and a great job shooting it Dana!
jayfar
This is a great posting Dana and these are all heroic and brave people depicted here.
rainbows
A wonderful tribute, capture and write up, dear Dana. Hugs for all day. Di. xx
dakotabluemoon
This is a nice dedication for them but to me going to the moon is a waste of time and tax payers money we will never live there so what use is it so lame.
morningglory
Beautiful remembrance. At least they died doing what they loved and believed in.
blondeblurr
What interesting, but also sad memories - it only seemed like yesterday! thanks for sharing those here with us ... never to be forgotten, even by younger generations, with the help of this plaque! BB BTW this explains your new avatar now! ;) (my brother was also in the Navy - in Germany)
MrsRatbag
Excellent shot and information; well done!
clbsmiley
Great repost. And thanks for all your comments. Hope all is well. :)
bluart
beautiful plaque,well done dana
jendellas
I love reading info like this, thanks Dana. xxx
emmecielle
Lovely tribute and capture! :)
flavia49
marvelous tribute
mickeyrony
A nice plaque commemorative for all of them . Nice to you to present this . ((5++))
Jay-el-Jay
A great shot of this memorial to these pioneers that have died for space travel.
midnightmum
Thanks for sharing this information, sad things do happen.
Katraz
A great shot of a wonderful memorial.
Richardphotos
I just missed being outside when the Columbia exploded over N.Texas. the explosion caused my house to shake. I normally would have been out with my dogs, but the weather was cold that morning so I waited too long
junge1
Great photo Dana and excellent detailed background information and I guess it makes it kind of special for you. Great post!
tennesseecowgirl
I can remember standing in the same area and seeing this and being very moved. Nice image, thanks for sharing.