posted 09-23-2016 03:40 PM               

Lawmakers propose memorial for Apollo 1 astronauts at Arlington Cemetery

Three NASA astronauts who died in a tragic fire on the launch pad 50 years ago this January may be honored by a new monument at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Apollo 1 crew mates Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee were taking part in a pre-launch "plugs out" test on Jan. 27, 1967 when a fire broke out inside the command module. The fire engulfed the capsule, fueled by a pure-oxygen atmosphere, leading to the men's death.

posted 09-23-2016 06:47 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by p51:
I've always wondered why there wasn't one there already.

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posted 09-23-2016 07:04 PM               

Placing a stone on the grave serves as a sign to others that someone has visited the grave. It also enables visitors to partake in the mitzvah tradition of commemorating the burial and the deceased.

posted 12-01-2016 07:56 PM               

On January 27, 1967, Astronauts Command Pilot Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Senior Pilot Edward H. White II, and Pilot Roger B. Chaffee were killed in an electrical fire that broke out inside their Apollo I Command Module on Launch Pad 34 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Although all three astronauts were posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, it is surprising that we do not have a memorial at Arlington Cemetery to honor the lives of the crew of Apollo 1 as was done for the Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews.

H.R. 6147, the Apollo 1 Memorial Act, would redress that unfortunate omission. As Arlington National Cemetery is where we recognize heroes who have passed in the service of the nation, it is fitting on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 1 accident that we acknowledge these astronauts by building a memorial in their honor.

This bill would direct the Secretary of the Army, in consultation with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to construct at an appropriate place in Arlington National Cemetery, a memorial marker honoring these American heroes.

We hope that you will join us in cosponsoring H.R. 6147, the Apollo 1 Memorial Act.

posted 01-28-2017 07:22 AM               

It has been 50 years since the Apollo accident. We have the opportunity and a duty to honor these three brave men and their contribution to America’s preeminence in human spaceflight. It is time to build a memorial so that current and future Americans never forget their sacrifice.

posted 07-14-2017 09:55 PM               

I'm deeply grateful that the House has accepted my amendment to establish a memorial at Arlington Cemetery to honor astronauts Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White II, and Roger B. Chaffee, who perished 50 years ago while preparing for the Apollo 1 mission.

It is both right and long overdue that we honor the memory of these heroes by means of a memorial, as was done for the crews of the Challenger and Columbia Shuttle missions. Each of these individuals made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of a noble and inspiring goal — the peaceful exploration of outer space.

I am grateful to all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting this amendment, and I hope that the Senate will join us in making the Apollo 1 memorial a reality.

posted 12-15-2017 03:00 PM               

New law authorizes memorial for Apollo 1 astronauts at Arlington Cemetery

A memorial marker will be erected at Arlington National Cemetery honoring NASA's Apollo 1 astronauts who were killed in a fire on the launch pad 50 years ago.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Dec. 12) signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, which in addition to calling for appropriations for the military activities of the Department of Defense, included a provision to construct a memorial to the crew of Apollo 1.

posted 06-02-2022 08:45 PM               

Monument to NASA's fallen Apollo 1 crew dedicated at national cemetery

A monument now stands in memory of the first astronauts to die in their spacecraft, 55 years after a fire on the launchpad claimed their lives.

Family members of the fallen Apollo 1 crew came together with NASA officials, space industry leaders and members of the space community to dedicate the new monument during a ceremony held Thursday (June 2) at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The memorial is located near the graves of two of the three Apollo 1 astronauts in Section 3 of the cemetery.

posted 06-27-2022 04:00 PM            

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
...the stones are evidence of some of the visitors who came to pay their respects to Grissom and Chaffee.

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posted 06-27-2022 06:00 PM               

What's most important is that just like wreaths, flowers and other items left at gravesites, the stones are a symbol of respect. There is no defacement involved.