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Author
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Topic: 10/31: Astronaut Ted Freeman memorial (KSCVC)
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42986
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-28-2014 02:02 PM
   
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex release The Astronauts Memorial Foundation Hosts 50th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony of NASA Astronaut Theodore FreemanThe Astronauts Memorial Foundation will pay tribute to the life of NASA astronaut Theodore Freeman, who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation and the space program on Oct. 31, 1964. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Freeman's accident, which was recognized as the first fatality among the American astronaut corps. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex guests are welcome to attend the ceremony. Hosted by Thad Altman, Astronauts Memorial Foundation president, speakers include: - Faith Johnson, daughter of Astronaut Freeman
- Kelvin Manning, NASA Associate Director
- Jon McBride, Former NASA Astronaut (Captain, USN, Ret.) and Past AMF Chairman
Notable guests include: - Mara Oatman, granddaughter of Astronaut Freeman
- Col. Shawn Fairhurst; Vice Commander of Patrick Air Force Base
The ceremony will be held at 9:55 a.m. EDT on Friday (Oct. 31) at the The Space Mirror Memorial. The Astronauts Memorial Foundation honors and memorializes those astronauts who have sacrificed their lives for the nation and the space program by sponsoring the national Space Mirror Memorial, and by implementing innovative educational technology programs. |
p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 10-28-2014 04:28 PM
I have stood on the exact spot where his T-38 met terra firma. Does anyone know if a marker was ever placed there? Only people stationed at Ellington knew where it was when I went looking for it, but that was quite a while ago... |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 10-28-2014 06:07 PM
Totally amazing to realise that this happened 50 years ago. I remember reading the terrible news at the time in Australian newspapers and was quite devastated. I'd only recently received a lovely handwritten letter from Ted, and I have always respected his memory.With the kind assistance of his family and friends I did write a chapter on Ted's life in "Fallen Astronauts," and for the forthcoming revised version in the Outward Odyssey series I have inserted a lot of fresh information and reflections derived from a number of people who knew Ted well. I was pleased to be able to expand on Ted's story for this new edition, as he deserved a long and productive career as a NASA astronaut instead of being prematurely snatched from us as the result of a simple accident. Vale, Ted Freeman. I certainly will never forget you. |
icarkie
Member Posts: 618
From: BURTON ON TRENT /England
Registered: Nov 2002
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posted 10-30-2014 02:53 PM
Maybe one day Edward Givens, Jr. will be honoured as well on the Astronaut Memorial... |
onesmallstep
Member Posts: 1310
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 11-02-2014 10:25 PM
Unfortunately, Givens (and other astronauts like Dave Griggs) are not currently elegible under the rules for inclusion on the memorial since he did not die in actual space flight or was actively in training for a mission at the time of death (as opposed to being in an off-duty vehicle accident like Givens or a prívate plane crash like Griggs). |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 11-13-2014 12:45 AM
One could make a far more compelling argument for Ed Givens than for Robert Lawrence (and obviously I respectfully acknowledge that Lawrence's name should be on the Memorial Mirror). For starters, Givens was also a USAF Astronaut Designee. To say he was not in training for a specific mission is putting too fine a point on things; he was on the support crew for Apollo 1 and Apollo 7 before he died and would undoubtedly have been selected for a later lunar mission, probably as a CMP. He did a heck of a lot of work on the development of the AMU/MMU over many years. As a NASA astronaut, he was in training (in Alan Shepard's own words) 24/7. And he had also "flown" a simulated six-day, three-man mission to the moon in NASA's SESL vacuum chamber. Without any shadow of a doubt he was in training for a lunar mission - it's just that he died before he was actually named to a an actual flight.Not only was Ed's name not endorsed to be on the Memorial Mirror by the AMF board, but I believe the AMF did an unforgivable and even cruel thing by basically stating to his wife and young children that Ed's life and achievements as a USAF and NASA astronaut was not worth respecting or commemorating, and not allowing them to even be a part of the ceremonies involving these commemorations. |
onesmallstep
Member Posts: 1310
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 11-13-2014 10:02 AM
I agree with Givens' roles in Apollo and that he was in training for two support crews, but the key wording and the reason for not including his name on the mirror is his death occurred 'off-duty,' either with NASA or the military. Yes, all astronauts should be honored but you get into a slippery slope by including all deceased astronauts who died violent deaths or due to natural causes.The same case for inclusion could be made for Griggs, who was in training as pilot (not MS, as in his first and only shuttle flight) for STS-33 in 1989, until he died in a vintage plane crash months before launch. And he had important roles in developing the MMU and HUD (Head Up Display) for the shuttle cockpit in a long career at NASA-JSC, even before he became an astronaut. I wonder; if Pete Conrad were still at NASA and an active astronaut at the time of his death in a motorcycle accident (or any off-duty activity), would the AMF still adhere to its rules? Probably, but not without a lot of protests. Being a private venture, there's not a lot to be done unless the guidelines are changed. | |
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