Remembering Apollo One

Forty six years ago today the crew of Apollo One died in a tragic accident.

Apollo One's Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee

At the time I was just four years old. I was not aware of their sacrifice.

Almost two and a half years later I was still not aware of Apollo One, but I was glued to the TV set as Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins headed off to the Moon in Apollo Eleven. I can still remember watching that first landing and the moonwalk that followed.

As the Moon landings continued my interest grew and I began to read all that I could about the Apollo program. Some years later, when I discovered used book stores, I found this treasure:

Inside the book was a news clipping of an editorial cartoon placed there by the book's previous owner. The cartoon, which I still keep within the book above, shows a depiction of Armstrong lifting the flag into place on the Moon. It is reminiscent of the famous photo of the flag raising over Iwo Jima in World War II. Only here, it is the crew of Apollo One helping Armstrong lift the flag.

They didn't make it to the Moon, but through their efforts and sacrifice we all did. Grissom, White and Chaffee helped to make it all possible.