Dec 8 1967
From The Space Library
Maj. Robert H. Lawrence, Jr. (USAF), first Negro selected for a mission in the Nation's space program, was killed during routine training flight when his F-104 aircraft crashed on landing at Edwards AFB. Copilot Maj. Harvey J. Royer (USAF) , chief of operations at USAF's Aerospace Research Pilot School, was injured. USAF appointed a board of officers to investigate the crash. Selected June 30, to train for DOD's Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program, Major Lawrence was ninth astronaut-first in DOD astronaut program-to be killed in an accident and fifth to die in an air crash; three others had died in Jan. 27 Apollo fire and one in an automobile accident. Memorial services were conducted at Edwards AFB and in Chicago. (W Post, 12/9/67, Al; AP, NYT, 12/10/67, 44; B Sun, 12/11/67, A15)
Apollo Command Module (CM) No. 009, launched on a ballistic mission Feb. 25, 1966, and successfully recovered, would be modified by North American Rockwell Corp. and reused in series of dry-land impact tests at MSC. It was first of four previously used CMS to undergo the tests. (NAR Release NG15)
Robert F. Thompson, Assistant Manager of MSC's Apollo Applications program Office since its establishment in July 1966, was appointed Manager of that program. Post had been vacant since April 1967 when MSC Deputy Director George M. Low, who had been Acting Manager, became Manager of the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office. (MSC Release 67-73; MSC Roundup, 12/22/67,1)
Kurt Jung, member of West Germany's Bundestag Defense Committee, said West Germany had allotted $25 million to purchase 220 F 4 Phantom jet aircraft from McDonnell Douglas Co., to replace ill-fated Lockheed F-104G Starfighter aircraft that had been worn out in use or lost in air crashes. (AP, B Sun, 12/9/67, 1)
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