| Aircraft
Accidents Theodore Freeman Charles Bassett II Elliot See Clifton Williams, Jr. Robert Lawrence Michael Adams Yuri Gagarin John McKay Stephen Thorne Stanley David Griggs Manley Carter, Jr. Patricia Hilliard Robertson
Apollo 1
Soyuz 11
Challenger STS-51L
Columbia
STS-107 Other |
Born: 15 February 1935 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Education: Received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1957. Marital Status: Married the former Martha L. Horn. Children: Sheryl L. (born 17 November 1958) and Stephen B.(3 July 1961). Other Activities: His hobbies included guns and woodworking. Professional Organizations: Member of Tau Beta Pi (national engineering society), Sigma Gamma Tau, and Phi Kappa Sigma. Special Honors: Awarded the Navy Air Medal; Congressional Space Medal of Honor. Experience: Lt. Cdr. Chaffee entered the Navy in 1957. He served as safety officer and quality control officer for Heavy Photographic Squadron 62 at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida. In January 1963, he entered the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to work on a master of science degree in reliability engineering. As a pilot, Chaffee flew U-2 photo reconnaissance missions over Cuba. He logged more than 2,300 hours flying time, including more than 2,000 hours in jet aircraft. NASA Experience: Roger Chaffee was selected in the third group of astronauts on 14 October 1963. He was then assigned to the Apollo Group, headed by Mercury astronaut Gordon Cooper. In the summer of 1965, Deke Slayton assigned him as pilot of Apollo 1. On 27 January 1967, Roger and his two fellow crew mates, Gus Grissom and Ed White, lost their lives when a fire swept through their Apollo 1 spacecraft while conducting a test on the pad. The mission was scheduled for a 21 February launch on a 14 day Earth-orbit mission. It was over 1 1/2 years before any Americans flew into space. Roger along with Gus Grissom were buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 31 January 1967. Quote: "Hell, I'd feel secure taking it up all by myself."
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