Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon [Paperback]

Colin Burgess (Author), Kate Doolan (Author), Bert Vis (Author), Eugene A. Cernan (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2003

Near the end of the Apollo 15 mission, David Scott and fellow moonwalker James Irwin conducted a secret ceremony unsanctioned by NASA: they placed on the lunar soil a small tin figurine called “The Fallen Astronaut,” along with a plaque bearing a list of names. This book enriches the saga of mankind’s greatest scientific undertaking, Project Apollo, and conveys the human cost of the space race – by telling the stories of those sixteen astronauts and cosmonauts who died reaching for the moon.

 

Many people are aware of the Apollo launch pad disaster in which three men lost their lives, but few know of the other five fallen astronauts whose stories this book tells as well: among them, Ted Freeman and C.C. Williams, who died in the crashes of their -38 jets; the “Gemini Twins,” Charlie Bassett and Elliot See, killed when their jet slammed into the building where their Gemini capsule was undergoing final construction; and Ed Givens, whose fatal car crash has until now been obscured by rumors. The extraordinary lives and accomplishments of these and other fallen astronauts – including eight Russian cosmonauts who lost their lives during training – unfold here in intimate and compelling detail, supported by extensive interviews and archival material. Their stories return us to a stirring time in the history of our nation and remind us of the cost of fulfilling our dreams.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Eight of America's early astronauts, selected to participate in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs, died while employed by NASA. Three of the eight-Roger Chaffee, Gus Grissom and Ed White-are fairly well known, having died in a gruesome fire during a training exercise in the Apollo 1 command module on January 27, 1967. The other five are far less familiar. Four perished in jet crashes (Ted Freeman, Elliot See, Charlie Bassett and C.C. Williams) while one (Ed Givens) died in a car crash. Unfortunately, Burgess (Teacher in Space) and Doolan (coauthor, Mission to Planet Earth) tell their stories in turgid and repetitive prose, failing to dig beneath the surface and thus providing remarkably little insight into the men, their time or the agency for which they worked. Unlike virtually every other book dealing with the personalities of the astronauts, this one leads us to believe that all were single-minded saints, with no human foibles. Rounding out the book is a chapter written by Vis, a Dutch space analyst, detailing the lives and deaths of the eight Soviet cosmonauts who died between 1961 and 1971. This chapter is even weaker than the rest; little meaningful information is presented and there are factual conflicts with the American chapters. While the untimely deaths of good, talented men evoke pathos, these abbreviated biographies do not deepen understanding of them. 37 b&w photos.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"This wonderful book, which brought back many fond and sometimes painful memories of a few who sadly never realized their dreams, is a long overdue tribute to fallen comrades from a truly amazing era in American history." Walter M. Schirra Jr., Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronaut "In Fallen Astronauts we learn of men who may not have shared in the ultimate triumph but who were nevertheless an indelible part of these unparalleled exertions. By recognizing the prodigious debt we owe them, and their loved ones, in this fine history, Burgess and Doolan have made an important contribution to the history of space flight." Scott Carpenter, Mercury astronaut "Every generation learns the hard lesson yet again: space flight is a risky business; not only the missions themselves, but the arduous training. Fallen Astronauts is a long-overdue tribute to a group of men who paid the ultimate price for their tragically unfulfilled dreams of space flight." Michael Cassutt, author of Who's Who In Space and coauthor of We Have Capture "Though there are many space explorers no longer with us their achievements should not be forgotten. This book goes a long way to preserve the memory of 16 of them."--Spaceflight, March 2004 Emotionally moving, factually detailed portraits... Fallen Astronauts should be on every space enthusiast's reading list." Dr. Rick W. Sturdevant, Air Power History "This book considers both American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts who died in the line of duty prior to 1972. Burgess and Doolan offer a brief biography and personal stories with a focus on the astronauts' passion for their profession... It is well written and will be enjoyed by enthusiasts of the history of spaceflight." Choice "A fascinating, often sad, but uplifting account... Though there are many space explorers no longer with us their achievements should not be forgotten. This book goes a long way to preserve the memory of 16 of them." Dave Shayler, Spaceflight "A compendium of research into the lives, including their tragic deaths, of astronauts who gave their all in pursuit of their personal goal, and that of their country, of reaching the moon." Hazel Brittingham, Cape Gazette

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803262124
• ISBN-13: 978-0803262126
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #383,629 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

96 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long Overdue, November 1, 2003

By 

R. W. Cunningham "Walter Cunningham" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon (Hardcover)

As an astronaut from 1963 to 1971, I was at NASA during the incredible years when mankind went from making short flights in Earth orbit to standing on the surface of the moon. Unfortunately, in those years, we also lost a good number of my astronaut colleagues along the way. This personally affected me most when, as part of the backup crew for Apollo 1, we had to step into their shoes and fly the first manned Apollo flight after their untimely and tragic deaths. The death of Gus Grissom's crew helped make it possible to land a man on the moon on schedule - indeed, it may have saved America's space program - so we cannot consider their deaths to have been in vain. It certainly made our Apollo 7 mission a success. It also reminded the American public that people could and would die in our efforts to explore the heavens.

If you have been a jet fighter pilot for any length of time, you have seen your friends get killed - often - and you build up a certain immunity. I flew with such men and knew them well - men frozen in time now like shadows in old group photos. After several flights with Ted Freeman, I was convinced he was one of our better pilots. C.C. Williams, a big, strapping six-footer who wouldn't let you dislike him, had flying skills that couldn't be faulted. What impressed me most about Charlie Bassett was his discipline, dedication, and fine mechanical skills. I once played a great practical joke on Ed Givens. Elliot See was another friend of mine. My children were playmates with their children, and they noticed that some of Daddy's friends sometimes didn't come home from work.

This book brings these old colleagues and friends of mine back to life, and it is wonderful to see them finally get the attention they deserve in print. I highly recommend this book for a long overdue insight into my old friends and colleagues, who paid the ultimate price for us all.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fallen Astronauts, November 2, 2003

By 

Katherine Cooper (Cape Canaveral, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon (Paperback)

Burgess and Doolan have written a book that was long overdue. Instead of the usual rehash of facts well known, they have brought to the public the story of these heroes as human beings, people with hopes and dreams, men who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country - whether in a plane or automobile crash or in a horrible spacecraft fire. As director of the Apollo One Memorial Foundation, I was particularly pleased with the way they presented the lives of Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. However, I knew little of the other astronauts who died. The authors filled this gap in my knowledge in a clear, fact-filled way. Most impressive was the objective way in which they described the loss of the astronauts and cosmonauts, neither laying blame nor sensationalizing the accidents. This book is a must-read.

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read book, and fitting tribute., October 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon (Paperback)

This is quite simply an outstanding book. In the race to land humans on the Moon, a number of astronauts and cosmonauts died, and many were quickly forgotten. They have been missing from the pages of the history books - until now. This book brings their personalities to life in warm detail, drawing on unprecedented cooperation from the families, it seems. For the first time, I have come to know the stories of men who, if not for unfortunate accidents, would have been some of the most famous names in American history. You get to know them as people, their good and bad sides, their failings but mostly their incredible professionalism and dedication. One of the decade's most important space books, and a must-have for anyone interested in the subject.