| 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: 26 September 1932, in Mobile, Alabama. Education: Graduated from Murphy High School, Mobile, Alabama. Received a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering from Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. Marital Status: Married to the former Jane E. Lansche of New Bern, North Carolina.. Children: Catherine Ann (6 January 1967) and Jane Dee (31 May 1968). Other Activities: His hobbies included hunting, golf, and water sports. Professional Organizations: An associate member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, member of Pi Tau Sigma (national mechanical honorary) and Tau Beta Pi (national engineering society). Experience: C.C. Williams first joined the U.S. Marine Corps following graduation from Auburn University. He was a graduate of the Navy Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Maryland. He was a test pilot for three years in the Carrier Suitability Branch of the Flight Test Division at Patuxent River. His work there included land based and shipboard tests of the F8E, TF8A, F8E (attack), A4E, and automatic carrier landing systems. He logged 2,600 hours flying time including 2,200 hours in jet aircraft. NASA Experience: Williams was selected in the third groups of astronauts on 18 October 1963. He served as backup pilot for the Gemini 10 mission, along with backup commander Alan Bean. In addition to fellow astronauts Mike Collins and John Young, C.C. assisted Deke Slayton in the selection of the Group 5 astronauts. After the Gemini program ended, he was assigned as backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 3 along with Pete Conrad and Dick Gordon. After the loss of the Apollo 1 crew, this backup crew became the backup crew for Apollo 9. Had Williams not been tragically killed, he would have walked on the moon on Apollo 12, as the Apollo 9 backup crew became the Apollo 12 prime crew. Alan Bean, who replaced Williams on Apollo 12, suggested that the crew place four stars on their crew patch: one for each of the crew and one for C.C. Williams. Once on the moon, Conrad and Bean placed C.C.'s naval "wings of gold" on the surface. Prior to leaving on a trip to Cape Kennedy (now Cape Canaveral), Major Williams learned from his wife that they were expecting their second child. C.C. had also recently learned that his father had cancer, and the prognosis was not good. On his way back to Houston from the Cape on 5 October 1967, he requested and received permission to stop at Brookley Air Force Base near Mobile, Alabama, to make a surprise visit to his parents. When he was near Tallahassee his T-38 aircraft experienced a control systems failure. C.C. ejected at an altitude of less than 1500 feet (457 meters), which did not allow enough time for his parachute to unfold, and was killed on impact. Quote: When asked which mission he would like to fly, he Williams replied, "I'd like to go on every flight. Of course, if you said which mission I would most like to have, I'd say the first lunar flight you make from the standpoint of personal satisfaction and accomplishment." And in his opinion, "the crews of Apollo would be ninety-nine percent safe." A reporter then asked "As safe as in an airplane?" Williams answered, "Really more so." |
