posted 01-29-2007 11:59 PM               

I can not tell you how much your posts meant to me. Just to say thank you is inadequate but is the best I can do right now.

posted 01-30-2007 02:13 PM               

spgrissom- I did get the program of the ceremony. It was actually the best one of the day. My hats off to whoever designed it. If I didn't introduce myself it was because I felt humbled to be there and didn't want to draw attention to myself. It was your families ceremony. FYI I was the guy in the baseball style jacket with the memorial patches on it.

Thanks again everyone.

posted 01-30-2007 10:12 PM               

My two daughters and I had the privilege of driving down to the Cape from Tennessee for the ceremony. Although my family and I have visited the Cape many times over the years, this particular visit was the most meaningful. The ceremony was everything I expected it to be...emotional, solemn, and extremely fitting. I hope to be able to attend again in the future.

Here are a few more images from that night:

posted 01-31-2007 08:22 AM               

I designed the program along with another teacher from my school corporation. I was also the one passing them out as did my wife.

If you look in Joe Hollaway's pictures the back of my head is in his first picture.

posted 01-31-2007 11:54 AM               

Great job on the programs. I look forward to actually meeting you next year-if not before.

posted 01-31-2007 08:15 PM               

* 1 star in the heavens for Apollo 1
* 1 star in the heavens for Challenger
* 1 star in the heavens for Columbia

(edited 1 February 2007... God, it is a sad, sad day.)

posted 02-01-2007 07:48 PM               

Thank you for placing the most beautiful flower at the base of the Space Mirror and for saying you did it with us in mind. I wish these words could somehow thank you enough! I wanted SO MUCH to be there for the ceremony, to honor our heroes and offer a rose, but no way was that possible. Later, along came your post and beautiful tribute here, and when I saw the photo of your hand placing the most beautiful rose at the base, I just bawled my head off. Incredible. Thank you for making the dreams of so many people come true, mine for one. Thanks for being there for us.

posted 02-02-2007 07:01 AM               

I remember you from the ceremony. You were actually standing right behind me during the ceremony. I am in your picture where you are standing "stunned" of being at Pad 34. I am passing out the programs in that picture.

posted 02-02-2007 08:09 AM               

Speaking of pics, here's a poignant one from the Holloway family "Instamatic archives." This is Pad 34, of course, from the NASA Tours bus, approximately six months after the tragedy.

Apollo 7 was a long time from being stacked there, too.

posted 02-02-2007 08:17 AM               

Special people, Col Johnny Johnson, Kate Cooper, Apollo Memorial Foundation and Sonny Whitt, Vice Commander CCAFS, Tim Gagnon (KSCartist), Bob Castro and one of my old friends from Convair, Carlos Banks made the trip very worthwhile.

I got a special tour of the SWAk Museum from Sam Bettingfield. They have done wonders but the most interesting was the working interior replica of a Atlas blockhouse from the electrical control panels salvaged from Complex 36. Incidently, all that remains of Complex 36 is the towers which will be imploded this spring.

I was also able to have a good meeting with Jim Gleaves, who I had not seen in 37 years.

As well as attending the Rickety Rocketeers breakfast where old timers that made the space program come alive gathered to rehash the old days. Their motto. "We got it done."

It was a sad occasion at times and when I looked at the Astronaut Memorial, my thoughts were why didn't we do more to prevent these events from happening.

I spent almost a week down there and came away with renewed vision that we must do more to keep the memories of the Cape and KSC and the many programs alive for the generations to come.

The "Space Walk Of Fame" Foundation as well as the Apollo Memorial Foundation, headed up by Kate Cooper is trying to keep our memories alive, but has always suffered from a shortage of funds. Most of the workers are volunteers with a vison.

They want to keep the memories of our space program alive.

I went over to their storage locker where they have stored artifacts because they do not have room in their new quarters. It's a real treasure trove.

There are boxes and boxes of 35mm and 70mm negatives and after looking at some of them, I knew that they must be preserved. According to Sam Bettingfield, they need a building at with at least 20,000 sq.ft.

The new Apollo/Shuttle memorial is looking great, the reflecting pool is almost ready for water. They have done wonders with what funds they have received but need our help.

I was over on the Cape for two days and went for a tour that that was demoralizing because all the old sites where history was made are cleaned off or just piles of rubble.

Just walking around some of the pads and remembering what happened back then brought tears to my eyes to see what it had become.

If it's alright with Robert Pearlman, I will post more information later on how our great website members can help keep it going.

We must not forget our history.

posted 02-02-2007 11:23 AM               

It was a pleasure to have been able to meet you at SLC 34. I am realy thank-ful I was able to photograph you at night next to the pad. It was a neat shot. I'll be in contact in the near future.

posted 02-02-2007 07:45 PM               

I want to thank all of you who have mentioned the Apollo 1 Memorial Foundation and who continue to be so supportive of our efforts. We will always remember and honor the crew of Apollo 1.

Katherine Cooper
Apollo One Memorial Foundation, Inc.