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Astronaut Conrad laid to rest at Arlington

July 19, 1999 — Astronaut Charles "Pete" Conrad, a veteran of four space flights and the third man to walk on the Moon, was laid to rest Monday at Arlington National Cemetary. Conrad was killed in a motorcycle accident on July 8.

Approximately 600 people attended the funeral, including Conrad's wife, Nancy, and ex-wife, Jane DuBose.

The service also marked one of the largest gatherings of astronauts in recent history. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, the crew of Apollo 11, were present, as were Conrad's fellow crewmates Dick Gordon and Alan Bean from his 1969 Apollo 12 mission.

Also paying their respects were Mercury astronauts John Glenn, Scott Carpenter and Wally Schirra; Gemini and Apollo astronauts James Lovell, Thomas Stafford, Gene Cernan, Jim McDivitt, Thomas Mattingly, Frank Borman and Joe Kerwin. Space Shuttle astronauts Richard Truly and Bob Crippen were also there as was industry payload specialist Charles Walker.

A boyhood friend, Stockton Rush, said of Conrad, "He died too young. But then, at any age at which he may have passed would have been too young." Conrad died at the age of 69.

Conrad is the 16th astronaut to be buried at Arlington. Also at the cemetery are: Charles A. Bassett II, Roger B. Chaffee, Donn F. Eisele, Theodore C. Freeman, S. David Griggs, Virgil I. Grissom, James B. Irwin, Brian J. James, Iven C. Kincheloe Jr., Stuart A. Roosa, Francis R. Scobee, Elliott M. See Jr., Michael J. Smith, Stephen D. Thorne, and Clifton C. Williams Jr.

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