[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
[December 17, 1997]
[Page 1792]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 1792]]


Remarks on Presenting the Congressional Space Medal of Honor 
Posthumously to Roger B. Chaffee and Edward H. White II
December 17, 1997

    Dr. Gibbons, Mr. Goldin, Congressman Sensenbrenner, to Edward White 
and the White family, and Martha Chaffee and the Chaffee family, and 
Mrs. Grissom, other representatives of astronauts' families that are 
here.
    A generation ago, President Kennedy challenged our Nation and asked 
God's blessing to undertake the most hazardous and dangerous and 
greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked. His challenge in 1961 
to send a man to the moon and bring him safely back to Earth by the end 
of the decade captured the imagination of millions of people around the 
world. A group of pioneering Americans recognized the limitless 
possibilities of this seemingly impossible challenge, and they would 
risk their lives to make it happen.
    Two great Americans we honor today, Lieutenant Commander Roger 
Chaffee and Lieutenant Colonel Edward White, were among them. More than 
30 years ago, these two men, along with their commander, Virgil ``Gus'' 
Grissom, were selected for the very first Apollo mission. Tragedy struck 
before they could achieve their goal. On January 27, 1967, fire swept 
through the Apollo capsule during a training session, killing all three 
of them. In 1978 President Carter presented Commander Grissom with one 
of the first Congressional Space Medals of Honor.
    Today I have the privilege of presenting the same medal to his 
crewmates, Roger Chaffee and Edward White, courageous men who gave their 
lives in our Nation's effort to conquer the frontiers of space. Even 
before they joined the Apollo program, Chaffee and White had already 
served our Nation with great distinction.
    Born in Texas and a member of the United States Air Force, Colonel 
White was the first American to walk in space. At a White House ceremony 
soon afterward, President Johnson called him ``one of the Christopher 
Columbuses of our century.''
    Commander Chaffee was a Michigan native and a decorated Navy pilot. 
Though he was the rookie of the crew, he didn't lack self-confidence. He 
once said, ``Hell, I'd feel secure taking it up all by myself.''
    Today we bestow upon Roger Chaffee and Edward White the highest 
honor in America's space program, but they were honored in our hearts 
long ago. Their deaths will remind us always that exploring space is 
dangerous, life-threatening work, work that demands and deserves the 
bravest and best among us. Though they never got there, astronauts 
Chaffee, White, and Grissom's footprints are on the Moon. Their presence 
is felt on every mission of our space shuttle program. Their spirits 
live on in every successful launch and every safe return. And I'm 
certain they will be there when the international space station goes 
into orbit.
    America has become the world's leading spacefaring nation because of 
the selfless pioneering spirits of the men we honor today. I am proud to 
present these medals to the families of Roger Chaffee and Edward White. 
On behalf of a grateful Nation, I thank them for their sacrifice.
    Now I'd like to ask the military aide to read the citations.

Note: The President spoke at 10:37 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Edward H. White, III, son of Lt. 
Col. White; Martha Chaffee, widow of Lt. Comdr. Chaffee; and Betty 
Grissom, widow of Lt. Col. Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom.