20 years ago today the Challenger space shuttle exploded 73 seconds into flight and the 7 astronauts aboard “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God”. President Reagon loosely quoted the poem called “High Flight” in his speech to the nation. Full text and information about the author Chief Pilot Officer John G. Magee, Jr. is on the web at http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/prewwii/jgm.htm.
3 dates of national significance I remember distinctly, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, September 11th, and the Challenger Disaster. I had just arrived home to my apartment on Taylor Strasse in Berlin, when cousin Debbie called and said “don’t talk to me, just turn on the TV.” That I did, and watched in horror as Armed Forces Network (AFN) carried the live satellite images.
Debbie too has since “slipped the surly bonds . . . “
in memory of Commander Richard Scobee, pilot Mike Smith, astronauts Ellison Onizuka, Judy Resnik, Ron McNair and Greg Jarvis, and teacher astronaut Christa McAuliffe.
. . . . . and in memory of Debbie who shared so much with me