Seven dead in space shuttle disaster!

 This evening's post is to remember an event that forever will be etched in the memories of many. I am writing about a disaster that shook the nation. And this rather impressionable elementary student will never forget that day and remember the excitement and urgency of the adults and teachers at Elk Garden Elementary School as we gathered to watch the live broadcast after we all stood like every morning before and said: I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.


Her name was Christa McAuliffe, and she was selected America's Teacher in Space in 1985 over almost 11,000 applicants, 114 semifinalist and 10 finalists. The program had been announced by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. The New Hampshire high school teacher spent five months training for a flight on the space shuttle Challenger. She had hoped to record her flight and conduct lessons from the shuttle all about space travel.

She and her six crewmates on the Challenger were killed when the shuttle exploded shortly after liftoff from Cape Canaveral on January 28, 1986. She was 37. The five men and two women - including the first teacher in space - were just over a minute into their flight from Cape Canaveral in Florida when the Challenger blew up as we watched wide eyed and all excited....then all of a sudden....

My eyes are little misty as I try to wind this up y'all. It left all of us staring in disbelief for a long moment and a hush fell over us all as the realization that we lost 7 brave Americans that day. It is a day I will never forget.

Let us all bow our heads for a moment of silence and remember the crew of the ill fated 25th space mission aboard the space shuttle Challenger...

President Ronald Reagan said: "We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them this morning as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God."

Mission Commander Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, pilot Commander Michael J. Smith, Dr. Judith A. Resnik, Dr. Ronald E. Mcnair, Lieutenant Col. Ellison S. Onizuka, Gregory B. Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe.

I encourage you to click this link and remember those brave people...
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/challengr.htm 

Thank you for visiting and take a moment to whisper a prayer for all those we have lost along the way