The Apollo Astronaut Rescue Team was created as a result of the tragic Apollo One fire that killed Astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee in January 27, 1967. The Astronaut Rescue team was established on October 7, 1968 and began an intensive 12 week training program in preparation for the Apollo 8 launch to the moon.
The original Astronaut Rescue Team was composed of volunteers selected from the membership of the Kennedy Space Center Fire Department (KSCFD). Selected for Astronaut Rescueman on the original team were: L.S. "Clyde" Ball*, G. D. "Tadpole" Driskell, W.H. "Bill" Hogan, W. D. "Bill" Killen, J. O. "Joe" Morgan*, R.V. "Bob" Rinaldi, D. K. "Deke" Swift*, M. C. "Mel" Thorne, R. E. "Gene" Weldon. R. D. "Roy" Terry* was Team Commander and Arthur L. "Al" Wozniak was Team Leader and Aubrey R. Weldon was Fire Chief.
Prior to each Apollo launch, Rescuemen were selected from volunteers within the 120 member fire department to serve on the Astronaut Rescue Team. After several months of study, Chief Paul Pettelle, on August 14, 1972, the KSC Fire Department incorporated in its combat structure a Rescue Team to provide rescue services to the Space Center as well as Astronaut Rescue capability during launch operations. Selected on the basis of qualifications and seniority for this permanent team were: Clay E "Geno" Crawford*, James George Edward "Fireman 43" Dittrich*, Edward L. "Doc" Ferguson, Sherwin L. "Pike" Olsson, Millard "Ace" Sadler, Happy A. "Hap" Savage, Paul "Pearl" Wallace, and veterans from the original team, Melvin C. "Mel" Thorne and William D. "Bill" Killen. Team Commander for the rescue Team was Marion A. "Jake" Jacobs* and Team Leader was James McCallum* and Paul S. Pettelle* was Fire Chief.
The original Astronaut Rescue Team was selected from the ranks of the Kennedy Space Center Fire Department and was trained under Roy D. Terry*, Chief Training Officer KSCFD and Arthur L. "Al" Wozniak.
Additional information and photographs will be added to this site during the summer 2010
* Deceased
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