The Ultimate Field Trip
Can you recall what you were doing on January 28, 1986?
No?
How about if I jog your memory: that was the day the space shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after launch while still in view of those gathered to witness its take-off and with much of the nation watching on TV.
If you were old enough to know what was going on, I'll bet now you remember where you were when you heard the news as well.
In his diary, on January 28, 1986, President Ronald Reagan wrote: "A day we'll remember for the rest of our lives. Started off with a staff meeting & then a session with the Cong. leadership of both parties. Had a go around with Tip (O'Neill) - think I came out pretty good. Then Sen. Murkowski brought in a family of 4 just recently united here in Am. An American husband, his Vietnamese wife & their 2 children who had been held in Vietnam.
Then I was getting a briefing for a meeting I was to have with network anchors - an advance on the St. of the Union address scheduled for tonight. In came Poindexter & the V.P. with the news the shuttle Challenger had blown up on takeoff. We all then headed for a TV & saw the explosion re-played. From then on there was only (one) subject - the death of the 6 crew & 1 passenger - Mrs. McAuliffe, the teacher who had won the right to make the flight. There is no way to describe our shock & horror. We cancelled - I should say postponed the St. of the Union address til next week. Cong. closed down for the day. Nancy's brother Dick, Patty & son Geoff were already on their way here for the speech - also Maureen was here. Well they'll all be back next week".
When he later consoled the nation, President Reagan eulogized those lost as follows:
"We will never forget them . . . nor the last time we saw them . . . as they prepared for their journey . . . and waved goodbye . . . and slipped the surly bonds of earth . . . to touch the face of God".
Christa McAuliffe, the only non-astronaut on board, was born one week before me on September 2, 1948. She was chosen to be the first "TEACHER IN SPACE" out of 11,500 applicants. Christa, whose motto was "I touch the future, I teach", considered the Challenger flight to be the "the ultimate field trip".
Was it ever.
email: aboomer@embarqmail.com
-- (January 26, 2012)
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