Motivated by a strong interest in technology and aircraft construction, he completed one year of precadet training in the u. Grissom middle school 35701 ryan road sterling heights, mi 48310. Gus grissom stands out as one of the first men to orbit the earth and was on the career track to become an apollo astronaut bound for the moon at the time of his death in 1967 in the apollo 1 fire. Virgil ivan gus grissom april 3, 1926 january 27, 1967 was a united states air force usaf pilot and a member of the mercury seven selected by national aeronautics and space administrations nasa as project mercury astronauts to be the first americans in outer space. He was also a project gemini and an apollo program astronaut.
Signatures should be signed quickly with no hesitation. Grissom memorial is intended to interest visitors of all ages in the successes and sacrifices of the early stages in americas space program. With the help of the gi bill, grissom attended purdue university, where he received a bs in mechanical engineering in 1950. Virgil gus grissom gus grissom piloted the liberty bell 7 spacecraft the second and. Seven astronauts are selected for the mercury program. As a member of the nasa astronaut corps, grissom was the.
Gus grissom, one of the original mercury seven astronauts and first astronaut to fly into space twice, whose life was tragically caught short by a fire during a prelaunch test of the apollo 1 command module. He was a project gemini and an apollo program astronaut. He was a member of the hiy club, the camera club, and the signal club. The museum was dedicated in july 1971, ten years after gus s first flight, and four years after his death. Sep 21, 20 read cnn s fast facts to learn more about space accidents. Dennis grissom worked for the baltimore and ohio railroad and the family, gus, his two brothers norman and lowell, and his sister wilma lived comfortably in a white frame house. He was the second child of dennis david grissom, a railroad man for the baltimore and ohio railroad, and cecile king grissom, a housewife. There was a passion almost of love of mechanical objects in the sky. Chaffee were killed, becoming the first casualties of the u. The capsule nickname policy was rescinded by nasa during the gemini program, during which mission managers. John glenn, alan shepard, gus grissom and others embraced a clear and perilous mission.
The 5thcentury ce author and statesman macrobius maintained virgil was born of country parents among the shrubs and woods. Grissom memorial at spring mill state park the virgil i. Alan shepard, virgil gus grissom, john glenn, scott carpenter, wally schirra. Wreaths were laid in memory of those men and women who lost their lives in the. Gus grissom signed autographs for approximately seven years before his untimely death on january 27, 1967. He flew in space as command pilot of mercuryredstone 4 1961. The view, not particularly breathtaking, was blocked by metal and wire in. Toliver grissom died november 25, 1888 and is buried in long cemetery in van buren county, tennessee.
The spacecraft problems were corrected, and the apollo program carried. The incident prompted many changes in the apollo program. This flight lasted 15 minutes and 37 seconds, attained an altitude of 118 statute miles, and traveled 302 miles downrange from the launch pad at cape kennedy. Grissom funeral apollo 1 tragedy pictures cbs news. Virgil gus grissom was born on 3 april 1926, in mitchell, indiana. Gus grissom was born on april 3, 1926 in mitchell, indiana, the oldest of four children. The grave marker of virgil gus grissom from apollo 1 is seen after a wreath laying ceremony that was part of nasas day of remembrance on the 30th anniversary of the challenger accident, thursday, january 28, 2016, at arlington national cemetery in arlington, va. Grissom was convinced that man stood on the threshold of great, future adventures in space. Sep 21, 2016 evans media hd presents a marc evans film virgil i. Virgil ivan gus grissom, fodd 3 april 1926 i mitchell i indiana, dod 27 januari 1967 vid cape canaveral air force station i florida, var en amerikansk astronaut. Brother of virgil grissom visits boyhood home in indiana.
The first spacerelated fatality happened in 1960 when a rocket exploded in kazakhstan, killing 165 people. Virgil gus grissom is launched in liberty bell 7, but does not achieve orbit. Remembering apollo 1 gus grissom, ed white, roger chaffee on. Gus grissom simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Gus grissom elementary school was operated by the department of defense dependents schools at the former clark air base, philippines. Lieutenant colonel virgil ivan gus grissom had been part of the u. Gus grissom memorial museum spring mill state park recorded in hd spring mill state park tuesday, september, 2016 editing printmaster. Air force pilot who became one of the first american astronauts. Virgil grissom high school located in huntsville, alabama al. Originally named the wurtsmith hill school, it was renamed on november 14, 1968. The designation as204 was used by nasa for the flight at the time. Gus grissom, one of americas original mercury seven astronauts, flew the second u. The grissom family moved to the home on baker street, now grissom avenue, in 1926 when gus was about a year old. Virgil ivan gus grissom april 3, 1926 january 27, 1967 was an american test pilot and astronaut. Virgil ivan gus grissom april 3, 1926 january 27, 1967 was a u. On july 21, 1961, he piloted the liberty bell 7 spacecraft on the second and final suborbital mercury test flight.
He was the second american to fly in space, and the first member of the nasa astronaut corps to fly in space twice grissom was killed along with fellow astronauts ed white and roger chaffee. During a program test, an apollo capsule caught fire on the launch pad, taking the lives of astronauts roger b. Virgil ivan gus grissom april 3, 1926 january 27, 1967 was a united states air force. Read cnn s fast facts to learn more about space accidents. Air force officer virgil gus grissom was one of the national atmospheric and space administrations nasa original crew of seven astronaut trainees. Grissom worked as a latenight telephone operator for indiana bell while her husband studied mechanical engineering at purdue university.
Gus grissom was born on april 3, 1926 in mitchell, indiana, the oldest of four. Virgil gus grissom was a nasa astronaut who flew twice in space and was. Nasa virgil ivan grissom 1944 gold and blue 3 april 1926. Were an independent nonprofit that provides parents with indepth school quality information. Lieutenant colonel virgil ivan gus grissom april 3, 1926 january. Grissom middle school is committed to educating and making a difference in the lives of our students. Grissom, virgil ivan gus encyclopedia astronautica.
Virgil gus ivan grissom 19261967 became the second american to travel into space when the national atmospheric and space administration nasa launched the liberty bell 7 on july 21, 1961. Lieutenant colonel virgil ivan gus grissom was an american astronaut, mechanical architect, and united states aircraft tester who was a member of nasas mercury venture. He had four siblings, including an older sister who passed on before his introduction to the world. This flight lasted 15 minutes and 37seconds, attained an altitude of 118 statute miles, and traveled 302 miles downrange from the launch pad at cape. If any flyer ever possessed that unshakeable faith in ones own infallibility that thing called the right stuff it was virgil i. Aug 19, 2019 in the history of nasas space flights, virgil i. Virgil gus grissom born in mitchell, in met betty moore who he later married graduated from mitchell high school married betty moore and joined air f. Boomhower, author and historian from indiana the subject. He was one of the original seven astronauts selected for nasas project mercury in april 1959. The grissom community will model respectful and responsible behaviors in a safe environment where all can achieve educational growth. Gus was selected as an astronaut after flying over a hundred combat missions in korea. In this time, his signature remained relatively unchanged, but his habits did evolve before his death. Nasa apollo missions this timeline will also provide the students a foundation nasa. Apr 03, 2016 today is the anniversary of the birth of virgil ivan gus grissom, one of the original nasa project mercury astronauts.
Jun, 2016 the grissom family moved to the home on baker street, now grissom avenue, in 1926 when gus was about a year old. He was a united states air force pilot was the second american to fly in space, and the first member of the nasa astronaut corps to fly in space twice. My dads greatgrandfather, toliver grissom, was born april 12, 1821, the son of william grissom and eva jane evey rhodes, the grandson of charles and margrett grissom. On july 21st, 1961, grissom reached a suborbital altitude of about 118 miles above the earths surface in a 15 minute flight, before making his descent in the mercury capsule, which he dubbed the liberty. Gus grissom was born on april 3, 1926 in mitchell, indiana. Gus grissom s mercury capsule sinks in an ocean landing after an explosion blows the escape hatch off prematurely. Chaffee, was killed in a fire while testing their capsule on the pad on 27 january 1967, still weeks away from launch. Lieutenant colonel virgil ivan gus grissom april 3, 1926 january 27, 1967 was one of the original nasa project mercury astronauts, a united states air force test pilot and a mechanical engineer. Grissom was one of the seven mercury astronauts selected by nasa in april 1959. Grissom and crew killed on apollo 1 in preflight fire. She met gus grissom when she was a freshman and he was a sophomore in high school. Dennis and cecile lived in the home until their deaths in the mid1990s.
Gus grissom national aeronautics and space administration wiki. Jun 12, 2017 virgil, sometimes spelled vergil, was born on october 15, 70 bce in andes, a small village near mantua north of the po river in cisalpine gaul. Following high school, he served in the army air corps from 1944 to 1945. Virgil ivan gus grissom april 3, 1926 january 27, 1967, lt col, usaf, was one of the original nasa project mercury astronauts, a united states air force. Grissom explained that he had gotten ahead in the mission timeline and had removed. Grissom explained that he had gotten ahead in the mission timeline and had. Grissom elementary school 1 sims avenue old bridge, nj 08857 732 3604481 fax. This development prods nasa to accelerate its program. Virgil ivan grissom was born at mitchell, indiana, the second of five children of dennis david grissom, an electrician, and cecile king grissom. Before he was named apollo 1 commander, virgil gus grissom was a one of the original mercury seven astronauts chosen in 1959.
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