Second Anniversary of Columbia Disaster

[Jaz4stfguy 0]

Here is a news photo and caption in rememberence of the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia:

 

 

Rain puddles on the face of the memorial plaque dedicated to the astronauts of the Space Shuttle Columbia, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005, in Houston, two years after the spacecraft broke apart on re-entry. All seven astronauts died in the accident. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

[Ace 0]

That was a sad day indeed. My prayers go out to the families; I'm sure this has been a very difficult week for them.

[Jaz4stfguy 0]

This is from the Houston Chronicle, dated 1 February 2005:

 

 

HEMPHILL - John "Squeaky" Starr Jr. dressed in a suit and tie to carry the remains of Columbia astronauts out of the thick woods here two years ago.

Last week, he wore dirty bib overalls to carve a granite monument to their memory.

The space shuttle Columbia disintegrated 200,000 feet above East Texas on Feb. 1, 2003, killing its seven-member crew and scattering debris for hundreds of miles from Fort Worth to Louisiana. This tiny town of about 1,100 was ground zero for the recovery of astronauts' remains and shuttle debris.

"I haven't forgotten," said Starr, 58, owner of Starr Funeral Home here. "It's a matter of history here. Sometimes I catch myself riding by some of the places (where remains were found) and thinking about the astronauts."

To commemorate the disaster, the Sabine County Columbia Memorial Committee, a nonprofit group, plans to dedicate two gray, solid granite memorial markers during a ceremony here today. Also planned was a moment of silence about 8 a.m., about the time Columbia was lost, minutes before it was to land in Florida.

 

There were other memorials in East Texas as well.

[Yillara Skye 1]