Forgotten Astronauts of the Space Race
regarded as a safe aircraft during the space race. The T-38 was simply too resourceful a tool for the astronauts not to use. Not only did it allow them to keep their flying skills sharp while training for space travel, they also allowed astronauts to quickly crisscross the country to wherever they needed to go. Just by playing the odds, with a large group of astronauts making thousands of flights across the country day and night in various weather conditions, a few accidents were bound to occur.
While, Freeman, See, Bassett, Givens, Williams and Lawrence never had their chance to ride a rocket into space, their lives contributed to others who would. They are the unknown martyrs of the space race. As a testimony to their importance, a plaque etched with the names of astronauts and cosmonauts who have forever left this earth, currently rests on the moon. All of the names mentioned above are on it except for Robert Lawrence Jr. Official reasoning for his exclusion was that he was an astronaut for the Air Force not for NASA (if he had lived he would have become an astronaut for NASA in 1969, when the agency absorbed the MOL astronauts). The plaque was placed there by Williams’ ultimate replacement on the crew of Apollo 12, Alan Bean, one of his best friends.
The story of Elliot See and Charlie Bassett appears to be an especially sad story. They were only 3 months away from completing what was surely to be the climax of years of hard work and struggle. In one of the few pictures they had taken together, they are shown posing for the official crew picture. With both of them donned in their Gemini suits, they look at the camera with a great enthusiasm and confidence. Their place in history secured by their contributions not by their tragic deaths.
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