Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents

  collectSPACE: Messages
  Stamps & Covers
  Space Cover 358: Bassett and See

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   Space Cover 358: Bassett and See
micropooz
Member

Posts: 1580
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 03-05-2016 08:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for micropooz   Click Here to Email micropooz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Space Cover of the Week, Week 358 (March 6, 2016)

Space Cover #358: Bassett and See

Fifty years ago last week, February 28, 1966, tragedy struck the prime crew for Gemini 9 when their T-38 aircraft impacted the very building that held their spacecraft. It was a heavily overcast, rainy day when Charles Bassett and Elliott See approached Lambert Field in St. Louis, MO. They broke out of the clouds, realized they were too low, hit their afterburners, and turned directly into McDonnell Aircraft Building 101, where their Gemini 9 capsule was being finished out. Both were killed on impact.

George Goldey had covers postmarked that day in his hometown of Canton, TX (above). He later added the cachet describing the event, unfortunately with a wrong first name for Bassett.

This is the only cover I've ever seen for Bassett and See. Anyone else have a different one? Let's post them! And as always, I'll be glad to host your cover image — just email it to me.

This event has special significance to me. As a typical young space fiend of the 1960s, I was well aware of the crash. Then I went to work for McDonnell-Douglas in St. Louis in 1980. Adjacent to my building was Building 101. One of the older engineers showed me around Building 101 where they were building the AV-8B Harrier at the time. At one place he pointed upwards and showed me the spot where Bassett and See had hit the roof – one could see replacement joist materials and roof materials of a slightly different shade than the rest. Needless to say, a very sad moment...

micropooz
Member

Posts: 1580
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 03-06-2016 11:10 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for micropooz   Click Here to Email micropooz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Chris Calle just sent in this Robert Rank cover postmarked at Cape Canaveral on the second anniversary of Bassett and See's accident. Thanks Chris!

stevedd841
Member

Posts: 297
From: Millersville, Maryland
Registered: Jul 2004

posted 03-06-2016 05:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for stevedd841   Click Here to Email stevedd841     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Dennis, I have two additional George Goldey covers to add to your posting. The first cover is similar to the one you posted for February 28, 1966, Canton, TX, but on a Gold colored label using the same Goldey cachet.

My second Goldey cover departs from this format showing a NASA emblem and the U.S. Capitol building in the cachet, and noting Charles Bassett (spelled correctly) and Elliot See laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. The cover is cancelled March 4, 1966, in Washington, D.C. where Arlington Cemetery is located.

In an earlier book I wrote the following concerning the deaths of See and Bassett as they crashed into the building.

Hitting the roof of McDonnell Building 101, astronauts See and Bassett are killed as their aircraft crashes near the building where their spacecraft is being put through its final tests. A few minutes later, Stafford and Cernan execute a flawless instrument landing at the airfield.
It was indeed a very sad day for the U.S. Space Program.

Antoni RIGO
Member

Posts: 216
From: Palma de Mallorca, Is. Baleares - SPAIN
Registered: Aug 2013

posted 03-06-2016 06:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Antoni RIGO   Click Here to Email Antoni RIGO     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
And my contribution to this SCOTW is this cover cancelled in St. Louis, MO on exact date Feb 28, 1966 for the T-38 aircraft crash sporting an add-on newspaper article.

DOX32
Member

Posts: 242
From: Lakewood Ranch FL USA
Registered: Jul 2004

posted 03-07-2016 02:38 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for DOX32   Click Here to Email DOX32     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Dennis and Chris, the CC cover above looks like a 1968 not 1966, so would that be second anniversary?

Ken Havekotte
Member

Posts: 3200
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 03-07-2016 04:06 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ken Havekotte   Click Here to Email Ken Havekotte     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
There was a space cover both signed by See and Bassett together in my collection for years until Leon Ford had purchased it.

The original GT-9 crew signed cover (not inscribed) was recently put on the auction block by RR last year.

I don't know if there are any other See-Bassett signed "crew" covers out there, but this was the only one that I had seen during a lifetime of collecting.

micropooz
Member

Posts: 1580
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 03-07-2016 05:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for micropooz   Click Here to Email micropooz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yep, 1968 Woody! Good catch. Will fix the writeup.

mach3valkyrie
Member

Posts: 727
From: Albany, Oregon
Registered: Jul 2006

posted 03-17-2016 10:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mach3valkyrie   Click Here to Email mach3valkyrie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks to Dennis for hosting this and starting the thread.

mach3valkyrie
Member

Posts: 727
From: Albany, Oregon
Registered: Jul 2006

posted 03-17-2016 10:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mach3valkyrie   Click Here to Email mach3valkyrie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I got all these from Joe Frasketi about 30 years ago. Had to dig around to find them. Again, thanks a lot to Dennis (micropooz) for his help in getting these posted.

All times are CT (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts

Copyright 2021 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a





advertisement