Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom
LT COLONEL, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
COMMANDER, APOLLO 1
"One thing that would probably have been different if Gus had
lived: the first guy to walk on the moon would have been Gus Grissom...."
-From the book "Deke!" Donald K. Slayton and Michael
Cassutt 1994
Virgil I. Grissom, known as Gus, was born in Mitchell, Indiana on 2 April 1926.
He was a decorated fighter pilot during the Korean War. In 1959, he was
selected to be one of the original seven astronauts and was the second American
to fly in space.
Pilot
Liberty Bell 7
Second Flight of the Mercury Program
Pilot
Molly Brown
First Flight of the Gemini Program
Commander
Apollo 1
Scheduled to be First Flight of the Apollo Program
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United States Air Medal with Cluster |
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USAF Distinguished Flying Cross |
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NASA Distinguished Service Medal |
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Astronaut Hall of Fame Medal of Honor |
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Congressional Space Medal of Honor |
Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, suited up and ready to climb into Liberty
Bell 7 spacecraft, poses for a picture. Backup pilot John Glenn is in the right
corner of the view behind Grissom.
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