Editing Roger B. Chaffee

{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Short description|American astronaut and pilot (1935–1967)}}
{{featured article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox astronaut
| name = Roger B. Chaffee
| image = RogerChaffee.1964.ws.jpg
| alt = Portrait of Chaffee smiling with a spacecraft model
| caption = Chaffee in 1964
| birth_name = Roger Bruce Chaffee
| birth_date = {{birth date|1935|2|15}}
| birth_place = [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1967|1|27|1935|2|15}}
| death_place = [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Canaveral]], [[Florida]], U.S.
| spouse = {{marriage|Martha Louise Horn|1957}}
| children = 2
| restingplace = [[Arlington National Cemetery]]
| education = [[Illinois Institute of Technology]]<br>[[Purdue University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br>[[Air University (United States Air Force)|Air University]]
| awards = {{ubl|[[Congressional Space Medal of Honor]]|[[Air Medal]] (2)}}
| type = [[NASA astronaut]]
| rank = [[Lieutenant commander (United States)|Lieutenant commander]], [[United States Navy|USN]]
| selection = [[NASA Astronaut Group 3|NASA Group 3 (1963)]]
| mission = [[Apollo 1]]
| insignia = [[File:Apollo 1 patch.png|40px]]
}}
'''Roger Bruce Chaffee''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|tʃ|æ|f|iː}}; February 15, 1935 – January 27, 1967) was an American [[Officer (armed forces)|naval officer]], [[United States naval aviator|aviator]] and [[aeronautical engineer]] who was a [[NASA astronaut]] in the [[Apollo program]].

Chaffee was born in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]], where he became an [[Eagle Scout]]. He graduated from [[Central High School (Grand Rapids, Michigan)|Central High School]] in 1953, and accepted a [[Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps]] (NROTC) scholarship. He began his college education at [[Illinois Institute of Technology]], where he was involved in the fraternity [[Phi Kappa Sigma]]. He transferred to [[Purdue University]] in 1954, continuing his involvement in Phi Kappa Sigma serving as chapter president in 1956 and obtaining his [[Private pilot licence|private pilot's license]].

After graduating from Purdue in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science degree in [[Aerospace engineering|Aeronautical Engineering]], Chaffee completed his Navy training and was commissioned as an [[Ensign (rank)#United States|ensign]]. He began pilot training at [[Naval Air Station Pensacola]], Florida, flying aircraft such as the [[Beechcraft T-34 Mentor|T-34]], [[North American T-28 Trojan|T-28]], and [[Douglas A-3 Skywarrior|A3D]]. He became quality and safety control officer for [[VAP-62|Heavy Photographic Squadron 62]] (VAP-62). His time in this unit included taking crucial photos of Cuba during the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]], earning him the [[Air Medal]]. He was promoted to [[lieutenant commander (United States)|lieutenant commander]] in 1966.

Along with thirteen other pilots, Chaffee was selected to be an astronaut as part of [[NASA Astronaut Group 3]] in 1963. He served as [[capsule communicator]] (CAPCOM) for the [[Gemini 3]] and [[Gemini 4]] missions and received his first spaceflight assignment in 1966 as the third-ranking pilot on [[Apollo 1]]. In 1967, he died in a fire along with fellow astronauts [[Gus Grissom|Virgil "Gus" Grissom]] and [[Ed White (astronaut)|Ed White]] during a pre-launch test for the mission at what was then the [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 34|Cape Kennedy Air Force Station Launch Complex 34]], Florida. He was posthumously awarded the [[Congressional Space Medal of Honor]] and a second Air Medal.

==Early life==
Roger Bruce Chaffee was born on February 15, 1935, in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]],<ref name="astronautsmemorial" /> the second child of Donald Lynn Chaffee (1910–1998) and Blanche May (Mike) Chaffee ({{née|Mosher}}; 1912–1996).{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|p=136}} He had an older sister, Donna, born two years earlier.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=17}} In January 1935, in their hometown of [[Greenville, Michigan]], his father was diagnosed with [[scarlet fever]], so his mother moved in with her parents in Grand Rapids, where Roger was born. The family spent the next seven years in Greenville before moving to Grand Rapids, where his father took a job as the chief [[United States Army Ordnance Corps|Army Ordnance]] inspector at the Doehler-Jarvis plant.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> Chaffee's interest in aerospace was sparked at a young age when his father, a former [[barnstorming]] pilot, took him on his first flight at the age of seven. Chaffee was thrilled by the flight and soon after started building model airplanes with his father.{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|pp=135–136}}

===Boy Scouts===
Chaffee excelled as a [[Scouts BSA (Boy Scouts of America)|Boy Scout]], earning his first [[Merit badge (Boy Scouts of America)|merit badge]] at the age of thirteen. He earned ten more badges that year. Many of these awards were typically earned by the older scouts.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|pp=32–33}} He continued his success by earning four more badges at the age of fourteen.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=33}} He earned four badges for each of the next two years, almost all the badges available at the time. After becoming an [[Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)|Eagle Scout]], he managed to earn another ten merit badges, for which he was awarded the bronze and gold palms.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=33}} Between his camping trips with his family and his involvement with the Boy Scouts, Chaffee developed a passion for the outdoors.{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|pp=136–137}}

===Education===
Chaffee attended the Dickinson School in Grand Rapids,{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|p=136}} and later graduated from [[Central High School (Grand Rapids, Michigan)|Central High School]] in the top 20% of his class in 1953.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=43}} Turning down a possible appointment to the [[United States Naval Academy]] at [[Annapolis, Maryland]], he accepted a [[Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps]] (NROTC) scholarship, and in September 1953 enrolled at the [[Illinois Institute of Technology]]. He performed well, making the [[Dean's List]] and finishing with a B+ average. While enrolled, he joined [[Phi Kappa Sigma]].<ref name="history.nasa.gov">{{cite web|url=https://history.nasa.gov/Apollo204/zorn/chaffee.htm|title=Detailed Biographies of Apollo I Crew – Roger Chaffee|last=White|first=Mary|publisher=NASA|access-date=June 3, 2016|date=August 4, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604142258/https://history.nasa.gov/Apollo204/zorn/chaffee.htm|archive-date=June 4, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

Chaffee was passionate about flying, and had a strong aptitude for science and engineering. To apply those talents, he transferred to [[Purdue University]] in the autumn of 1954 to attend the school's well-known [[aeronautical engineering]] program.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> Before arriving in [[West Lafayette, Indiana|West Lafayette]], he reported for an 8-week tour on {{USS|Wisconsin|BB-64|6}} as a part of the NROTC program. To qualify, he had to finish training and pass further tests. He initially failed the eye exam, but the physician permitted him to retake it the next morning, and he passed. He was then allowed to tour on ''Wisconsin'' to [[England]], [[Scotland]], [[France]], and [[Cuba]]. Upon his return to American soil, he worked as a gear cutter.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" />

After starting classes at Purdue, Chaffee sought out a job to complement his coursework and involvement in the Phi Kappa Sigma social fraternity. His first job during his sophomore year was working as a server at one of the women's residences, but he disliked the job and sought new employment. He was hired as a [[draftsman]] at a small business near Purdue. As a [[Junior (education year)|junior]], he was hired as a teaching assistant in the Mathematics Department to teach classes to [[freshman]] students.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> He was elected to the [[Tau Beta Pi]] national engineering honor society which is equivalent to [[Phi Beta Kappa]] in the non-engineering disciplines,  and [[Sigma Gamma Tau]] engineering honor societies.<ref name="chaffee space">{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/chaffee_roger_0.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/chaffee_roger_0.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live |title=Biographical Data: Roger B. Chaffee (Lieutenant Commander, USN) NASA Astronaut (Deceased)|date= December 1997|publisher=NASA |access-date=January 11, 2021}}</ref>
In 1955, Chaffee took four flying lessons, but he did not have enough money to get his [[private pilot's license]]. Two years later, the NROTC sponsored flight training for him to become a [[naval aviator]]. He soloed on March 29, 1957, and obtained his private pilot's license on May 24, 1957.{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|pp=138–139}} He earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree, with distinction, in aeronautical engineering at Purdue in 1957.{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|p=140}}

===Family===
Chaffee met his future wife Martha Louise Horn on a double-blind date in September 1955. They started dating, and he proposed to her on October 12, 1956. They married in [[Oklahoma City]], Martha's hometown, on August 24, 1957.{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|pp=138–139}} Martha was a homemaker.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=67}} The couple had two children, Sheryl Lyn (born in 1958) and Stephen (born in 1961).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceacts.com/STARSHIP/seh/chaffee.htm|title=Biographical Data|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307172656/http://spaceacts.com/starship/seh/chaffee.htm|archive-date=March 7, 2016|url-status=dead|publisher=Space Acts|access-date=October 3, 2016}}</ref>

== Navy service ==
[[File:Roger Chaffee Navy Portrait.jpg|thumb|alt=refer to caption|Chaffee's Astronaut selection portrait. Note the NASA insignia on the left lapel]]
After graduation, Chaffee completed his Navy training on August 22, 1957, and received commission as an [[Ensign (rank)|ensign]]. Following his honeymoon, he was assigned to the aircraft carrier {{USS|Lake Champlain|CV-39|6}} for a six-week assignment in Norfolk with the Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=70}} By the time Chaffee arrived at the base, the ship had already left port. He temporarily worked at the base until October 1957, when he attended flight school at [[Naval Air Station Pensacola]], Florida.{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|p=140}} He started his training by flying the [[North American T-28 Trojan|T-28]] and the [[Beechcraft T-34 Mentor|T-34]].{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=70}} He was posted to [[Naval Air Station Kingsville]], Texas, from August 1958 to February 1959 as a part of Advanced Training Unit 212.<ref name="navyhistory" /> In Kingsville, he trained on the [[F9F Cougar]] jet fighter.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=70}} His daughter Sheryl was born the day before he left for his first [[aircraft carrier]] training.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=71}} He was awarded his [[United States Naval Aviator|naval aviator]] [[United States Aviator Badge|wings]] in early 1959.<ref name="astronautsmemorial" /><ref name="history.nasa.gov" />

Chaffee was transferred to [[Naval Air Station Jacksonville]], Florida, to continue his training. His first project was not flying, but repairing an [[Douglas A-3 Skywarrior|A3D]] twin-engine jet photo reconnaissance plane.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=72}} This plane was typically flown by pilots with the rank of [[lieutenant commander]] or above, but Chaffee became so familiar with the plane from repairing it he became one of the youngest pilots ever to fly it.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=72}} He joined [[Second VA-44 (U.S. Navy)|Attack Squadron 44]] (VA-44) in September 1959, and from October 1959 to March 1960 he trained with [[RVAH-3|Heavy Attack Squadron 3]] (VAH-3).<ref name="navyhistory" />

{{Quote box
 |quote = There's only room for one mistake. You can buy the farm only once.
 |author = —Roger Chaffee{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=73}}
 |width = 20%
 |align = right
}}
Chaffee received a variety of assignments and participated in multiple training duties over the next several years, spending most of his time in photo reconnaissance squadrons. He was stationed at NAS Jacksonville as safety officer and quality control officer for [[VAP-62|Heavy Photographic Squadron 62]] (VAP-62) flying the A3D.<ref name="astronautsmemorial">{{cite web|url=https://astronautsmemorial-foundation.squarespace.com/roger-b-chaffee/|title=Roger B. Chaffee|publisher=Astronauts Memorial Foundation|access-date=June 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103004945/https://astronautsmemorial-foundation.squarespace.com/roger-b-chaffee/|archive-date=January 3, 2019}}</ref><ref name="chaffee space" /> He wrote a quality control manual for the squadron, although some of his peers saw this as too demanding.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=74}} By coincidence, he was assigned to a mission where he flew over [[Cape Canaveral]], during which aerial photographs of future launch sites were taken.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=74}}

Between April 4, 1960, and October 25, 1962, including during the critical time of the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]], Chaffee flew 82 missions over Cuba, sometimes up to three per day, and achieved over 100 flight hours each month. Some of these trips included shuttling three men per plane back and forth to [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|Guantanamo Bay]], including the pilot, co-pilot, and the photographer.<ref name="navyhistory" />{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=75}} Some biographies credit him with flying the [[Lockheed U-2|U-2]] plane to spy on Cuba, but this is erroneous since he was a Navy pilot and the U-2 was an Air Force plane.{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|p=140}}

After this, Chaffee undertook aircraft carrier flight training, including time spent on {{USS|Saratoga|CV-60|6}} performing both day and night flights.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=75}} He said of day flying, "Setting that big bird down on the flight deck was like landing on a postage stamp"; and of night flying, "Getting catapulted off that flight deck at night is like getting shot into a bottle of ink!"{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=75}} While working in Jacksonville, he concurrently worked on a [[master's degree]].{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=75}} He was on a cruise to [[Africa]] when his son Stephen was born in Oklahoma City.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=76}}

During Chaffee's Navy service he logged more than 2,300 hours flying time, including more than 2,000 hours in jet aircraft.<ref name="astronautsmemorial" /><ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> On February 1, 1966, he was promoted to [[Lieutenant Commander (United States)|lieutenant commander]].<ref name="navyhistory">{{cite web|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/biographies-list/bios-c/Chaffee-Roger/Chaffee-Roger-Text.html|title=Roger Bruce Chaffee|access-date=September 18, 2016|date=March 3, 2016|publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023172132/https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/biographies-list/bios-c/Chaffee-Roger/Chaffee-Roger-Text.html|archive-date=October 23, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

== NASA career ==

=== Selection ===
{{Quote box|The world itself looks cleaner and so much more beautiful. Maybe we can make it that way—the way God intended it to be—by giving everybody that new perspective from out in space.|width=20%|source=—Roger Chaffee<ref name="newmexico">{{cite web|url=http://www.nmspacemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.php?id=73|title=Named Pilot of the Apollo 1 crew.|publisher=New Mexico Museum of Space History|access-date=June 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308200304/http://nmspacemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.php?id=73|archive-date=March 8, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
In August 1962, Chaffee confided in his family that he had submitted an application for the [[NASA]] [[astronaut]] training program, and informed his superiors of his desire to train as a [[test pilot]] for astronaut status.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=78}} In mid-1962, he was accepted in the initial pool of 1,800 applicants for the [[NASA Astronaut Group 3|third group of NASA astronauts]].<ref name="history.nasa.gov" />{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=79}} After his naval tour was over, and he had racked up over 1,800 hours of flying time, the Navy offered him the opportunity to continue work on his master's degree.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=79}} In January 1963, he entered the U.S. [[Air Force Institute of Technology]] (AFIT) at [[Wright-Patterson Air Force Base]] in [[Dayton, Ohio]], of [[Air University (United States Air Force)|Air University]], to work on his [[Master of Science]] degree in [[reliability engineering]].<ref name="chaffee space" />

While at AFIT, Chaffee continued participating in astronaut candidate testing as the pool of candidates dropped to 271 in mid-1963. It was noted during testing that he had a very small lung capacity but he used it better than most people with greater capacity.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=82}} On his return from a hunting trip to [[Fairborn, Ohio]], on October 14, 1963, he found a message from NASA in [[Houston]], Texas.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=82}} He called them back, and discovered he had been chosen as an astronaut.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> On October 18, 1963, it was officially announced that he was one of fourteen chosen for NASA's third group of astronauts.<ref name="astronautsmemorial" /> He said, "I was very pleased with the appointment. I've always wanted to fly and perform adventurous flying tasks all my life. Ever since the first [[Mercury Seven|seven Mercury astronauts]] were named, I've been keeping my studies up."{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=85}}

=== Training ===
[[File:Apollo 1 astronauts Edward H. White II and Roger B. Chaffee during water egress training.jpg|thumb|alt=The Apollo spacecraft and orange rafts float in a pool, surrounded by divers|Chaffee (sitting on hatch sill) during water egress training for Apollo 1]]
Phase one of training for the third group of astronauts began in 1964 in lecture halls. Lectures in several fields were supplemented with trips to locations with geological significance so the astronauts gained hands-on experience. As well as piloting the spacecraft, the astronauts were to perform scientific experiments and measurements on the Moon. The astronauts traveled to the [[Grand Canyon]] to learn about geography and to Alaska, Iceland, and Hawaii to learn about rock formations and lava flows.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" />

The second phase was contingency training, which focused on astronauts learning the skills required to survive if the landing did not occur where planned. The group started their training by being dropped off in the middle of the jungle in Panama. They performed the survival training in pairs, carrying only their parachutes and survival kits. Chaffee, with help from his Boy Scout training, foraged for enough food to survive during the three-day training mission. Following the jungle training, the astronauts traveled to an entirely different environment: the desert of [[Reno, Nevada]]. For clothing, the astronauts had only long underwear, shoes, and robes they manufactured from their parachutes. Lizards and snakes were the main source of food, and the astronauts used their parachutes as makeshift tents for shelter for the two days of desert training.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" />

The third and final phase was operational training for the astronauts. This focused on giving them hands-on experience using the instruments and equipment required during their spaceflight. They received training in the effects of [[microgravity]] and rapid [[acceleration]]. The astronauts spent time in simulators, aboard cargo planes that simulated weightlessness, underwater to practice [[extravehicular activity|extravehicular activities]] (EVAs), and on visits to manufacturing plants to check on the progress of the hardware.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" />

=== Project Gemini ===
[[File:Roger B. Chaffee at a console in the Mission Control Center, Houston, during the Gemini-Titan 3 flight.jpg|thumb|Chaffee at the consoles in Mission Control during the [[Gemini 3]] mission|alt=refer to caption]]
Every astronaut was required to have a specialty, and Chaffee's specialty was communications. He focused on the Deep Space Instrumentation Facility (DSIF), which the astronauts needed for navigation in space.{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|p=142}}

At the [[Manned Spacecraft Center]] in Houston, Chaffee served as [[capsule communicator]] (CAPCOM) in March 1965 for [[Gemini 3]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/gemini/gemini-3/gemini-3.html|title=Gemini 3 (3)|access-date=September 20, 2016|date=August 25, 2000|publisher=Kennedy Space Center: Science, Technology, and Engineering|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304102608/http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/gemini/gemini-3/gemini-3.html|archive-date=March 4, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Later that year, he was CAPCOM, along with [[Gus Grissom|Virgil "Gus" Grissom]] and [[Eugene Cernan]], for the [[Gemini 4]] mission,{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|p=142}} in which [[Ed White (astronaut)|Ed White]] performed the first spacewalk by an American.<ref name="astronautsmemorial" /><ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> As CAPCOM, Chaffee relayed information between the crew members and the Director of Flight Operations, [[Christopher C. Kraft Jr.|Chris Kraft]].<ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> He never got a seat on a [[Project Gemini|Gemini]] mission, but was assigned to work on flight control, communications, instrumentation, and attitude and translation control systems in the [[Apollo program]].<ref name="chaffee space" /> During this time, along with Grissom, he also flew chase planes at an altitude of between {{convert|30,000|and|50,000|ft}} to take motion pictures of the launch of an uncrewed [[Saturn 1B]] rocket.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" />{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=108}}

=== Apollo program ===
[[File:Apollo1-Crew 01.jpg|thumb|alt=refer to caption|[[Apollo 1]] crew, [[Gus Grissom|Grissom]], [[Ed White (astronaut)|White]], and Chaffee]]
Chaffee received his first spaceflight assignment in January 1966, when he was selected for the first crewed Apollo-Saturn flight, AS-204. At the time, he was the youngest American astronaut to be selected for a mission.<ref name="Teitel" />{{sfn|Burgess|Doolan|Vis|2008|pp=143–44}} Joining Command Pilot Grissom and Senior Pilot White, he replaced the injured [[Donn F. Eisele]] in the third-ranked pilot position.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> Eisele required surgery for a dislocated shoulder, which he sustained aboard the [[reduced gravity aircraft|KC-135 weightlessness training aircraft]]. He was reassigned to a second Apollo crew, commanded by [[Wally Schirra]].<ref name="Teitel">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.popsci.com/blog-network/vintage-space/how-donn-eisele-became-whatshisname-command-module-pilot-apollo-7|title=How Donn Eisele Became "Whatshisname," the Command Module Pilot of Apollo 7|last=Teitel|first=Amy Shira|magazine=Popular Science|date=December 4, 2013|access-date=June 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422020339/http://www.popsci.com/blog-network/vintage-space/how-donn-eisele-became-whatshisname-command-module-pilot-apollo-7|archive-date=April 22, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

The crew announcement was made public on March 21, 1966. The two-week flight of Apollo{{nbsp}}1 was to test the spacecraft systems and the control and ground tracking facilities.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> While Chaffee had monitored the manufacture of the [[Gemini (spacecraft)|Gemini spacecraft]], he had not witnessed the building of the Apollo spacecraft. Three days after being selected for the Apollo{{nbsp}}1 crew, he flew to the [[North American Aviation]] Plant in [[Downey, California]], to see it.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" />

Later in April, the crew traveled to [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina]], to study stars that were programmed into their flight computer.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=114}} In October, the six crewmembers planned to test the spacecraft in sea level and altitude conditions. The failure of an oxygen regulator prevented them from performing the vacuum test, but they managed to complete the sea level test. They also performed egress tests, where capsule simulators were dropped in the Gulf of Mexico under various conditions and the crew had to exit the spacecraft.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=116}} The crew was able to spend time with their families at Christmas. Chaffee entered a local Christmas decoration contest and he received first prize.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> Four Purdue astronauts were requested to attend the [[1967 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]] as guests of honor; Grissom, [[Gene Cernan]], [[Neil Armstrong]], and Chaffee attended the game on January 2, 1967.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=118}} Progress on pre-mission activities was nearing completion; NASA announced on Monday, January 23, that February 21 was the target launch date.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=117}}<ref name=sr3mn>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=baxWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vOgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7390%2C2292235 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=3-man Apollo flight set |date=January 24, 1967 |page=2}}</ref><ref name=erg2vtns>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=G6pVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=J-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5195%2C5099686 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=UPI |title=2 veterans to open Apollo series |date=January 24, 1967 |page=6A}}</ref> The primary and backup crews moved back to the Cape for the last few weeks of training. They had their own living quarters, a private waiter and chef, and gymnasium to remain fit.{{sfn|Chrysler|Chaffee|1968|p=117}}

[[File:Apollo 1 fire.jpg|thumb|alt=Interior of burned capsule|Charred remains of the Apollo 1 [[Apollo Command/Service Module|Command Module]], in which Chaffee was killed along with Grissom and White]]
On Friday, January 27, Grissom, White, and Chaffee were participating in a "plugs-out" countdown demonstration test at [[Cape Kennedy]] in preparation for the planned February 21 launch.<ref name=sdcftblz>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NFdYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tfcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6549%2C3436454 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Space chief describes fatal blaze |date=January 28, 1967 |page=1}}</ref><ref name=shoutd>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HqpVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=J-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6208%2C5843036 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=UPI |title=Astronaut shouted warning as fire flashed in capsule |date=January 28, 1967 |page=1A}}</ref> Chaffee was sitting at the right side of the cabin.<ref name="history.nasa.gov" /> His main role was to maintain communications with the [[blockhouse]]. A momentary power surge was detected at 23:30:55 [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]] (6:30 pm [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]), which was believed to accompany an electrical short in equipment located on the lower left side of the cabin, the presumed ignition source for the fire.{{sfn|Thompson|Borman|Faget|White|1967|p=5-10}}<!-- Report page numbers are hyphenated. This is "page 5-10", NOT "pages 5–10" --> At 23:31:04 GMT, a voice was heard declaring, "[We]'ve got a fire in the cockpit."<ref name=shoutd/> Most investigative listeners believe that voice was Chaffee's.{{sfn|Thompson|Borman|Faget|White|1967|p=5-8}}

Assigned emergency roles called for Grissom, in the left-hand seat, to open the cabin pressure vent valve, after which White in the center seat was to open the [[plug door]] hatch, while Chaffee in the right-hand seat was to maintain communications.{{sfn|Thompson|Borman|Faget|White|1967|pp=3-49 & 4-7}} Grissom was prevented from opening the valve by the intensity of the fire, which started in that region and spread from left to right. Despite this, White removed his restraints and apparently tried in vain to open the hatch, which was held closed by the cabin pressure.{{sfn|Thompson|Borman|Faget|White|1967|p=4-7}} The increasing pressure finally burst the inner cabin wall on the right-hand side at 23:31:19 GMT. After approximately thirty seconds of being fed by a cabin atmosphere of pure [[oxygen]] at pressures of {{convert|16.7|to|29|psi|abbr=on}}, and now fed by nitrogen-buffered ambient air, the primary fire decreased in intensity and started producing large amounts of smoke,{{sfn|Thompson|Borman|Faget|White|1967|pp=5-3 & 5-4}} which killed the astronauts. Chaffee lost consciousness because of a lack of oxygen which sent him into [[cardiac arrest]]. He died from [[asphyxia]] due to the toxic gases from the fire, with burns contributing to his death.{{sfn|Thompson|Borman|Faget|White|1967|pp=5-9 & 6-1}}

Failed oxygen and [[ethylene glycol]] pipes near the fire's origin point continued burning an intense secondary fire which melted through the cabin floor.{{sfn|Thompson|Borman|Faget|White|1967|p=5-4}} By the time firefighters were able to open the hatch, the fire had extinguished itself. The back of Chaffee's couch was found in the horizontal position, with the lower portion angled towards the floor. His helmet was closed and locked, his restraints were undone, and the hoses and electrical connections to the suit remained connected.{{sfn|Thompson|Borman|Faget|White|1967|p=4-7}} As he was farthest from the origin of the fire, he suffered the least burn and suit damage.{{sfn|Thompson|Borman|Faget|White|1967|p=5-3}}

=== Aftermath ===
[[File:GrissomChaffeeGrave.jpg|thumb|alt=Grissom and Chaffee headstones with a wreath between them|Gus Grissom's and Roger Chaffee's headstones during the NASA Day of Remembrance ceremony in 2013]]

Shortly after the AS-204 fire in 1967, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Spaceflight [[George Mueller (NASA)|George Mueller]] announced the mission would be officially designated as Apollo 1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo1.html|title=Apollo 1|date=June 14, 2012|access-date=September 19, 2016|publisher=NASA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927151858/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo1.html|archive-date=September 27, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/topics/apollo/apollo-program/orbital-missions/apollo1.cfm|title=Apollo 1 (AS-204)|access-date=July 5, 2017|publisher=Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223105828/https://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/topics/apollo/apollo-program/orbital-missions/apollo1.cfm|archive-date=February 23, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The capsule underwent a significant redesign as a result of the disaster. The atmosphere in the cabin was changed from 100% oxygen to a 60% oxygen and 40% nitrogen environment at launch. The astronauts' spacesuits, originally made of [[nylon]], were changed to [[beta cloth]], a non-flammable, highly melt-resistant fabric woven from [[fiberglass]] and coated with [[Teflon]]. There were other changes, including replacing flammable cabin materials with self-extinguishing ones, and covering plumbing and wiring with protective insulation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4205/ch9-4.html|title=The Slow Recovery|last1=Brooks|first1=Courtney|last2=Grimwood|first2=James|last3=Swenson|first3=Loyd|date=1979|publisher=NASA|access-date= July 9, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161106010826/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4205/ch9-4.html|archive-date= November 6, 2016|url-status= live}}</ref>

Chaffee and Grissom were buried in [[Arlington National Cemetery]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23360165/the_daily_messenger/|title=Grissom, Chaffee in Arlington Burial|last1=Corddry|first1=Charles W.|newspaper=The Daily Messenger|date=January 31, 1967|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|location=Canandaigua, New York|agency=UPI|access-date=September 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902084520/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23360165/the_daily_messenger/|archive-date=September 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CgdjaGFmZmVlEgVyb2dlchoBYg--/ |title=Burial Detail: Chaffee, Roger B. (Section 3, Grave 2502-F)  |work= ANC Explorer|publisher=Arlington National Cemetery |id=(Official website)}}</ref> while White was buried at [[West Point Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23360165/the_daily_messenger/|title=West Point Rites Held for Ed White|last1=Quigg|first1=H. G.|newspaper=The Daily Messenger|date=January 31, 1967|page=1|via=Newspapers.com|location=Canandaigua, New York|agency=UPI|access-date=September 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902084520/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23360165/the_daily_messenger/|archive-date=September 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Chaffee's widow received $100,000 from the life insurance portion of the contract the astronauts signed with two publishing firms so they would have exclusive rights to stories and photographs of the astronauts and their families. She also received $16,250 per year for the life of the contract.<ref>{{cite news|title=Widows Will Get $100,000 From Life Insurance|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12155840/apollo_1_as204_widows_receive/|date=January 29, 1967|newspaper=[[Bridgeport Sunday Post]]|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 5, 2017|page=3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812055615/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12155840/apollo_1_as204_widows_receive/|archive-date=August 12, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Memorials ==
[[File:Apollo 1 KSC Mirror.jpg|right|thumb|alt=refer to caption|Chaffee's name, along with Grissom's and White's, on the [[Space Mirror Memorial]]]]
Chaffee is memorialized in many ways, from the [[Chaffee (crater)|Chaffee Crater]] on the [[far side of the Moon]],{{sfn|Byrne|2007|p=66}} to the [[Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium]] in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23360413/traverse_city_recordeagle/|title=Grand Rapids Honors Chaffee|newspaper=Traverse City Record-Eagle|date=May 19, 1967|location=Traverse City, Michigan|page=27|agency=UPI|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902084518/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23360413/traverse_city_recordeagle/|archive-date=September 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> When the [[Gerald R. Ford International Airport|Kent County International Airport]] relocated farther out in suburban Grand Rapids in 1963, the main runway of the original airport was repurposed into a major roadway and named Roger B. Chaffee Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statue of former astronaut Chaffee to be unveiled this Saturday|url=https://www.wktvjournal.org/statute-of-former-astronaut-chaffee-to-be-unveiled-this-saturday/|date=May 17, 2018|access-date=March 18, 2024|publisher=WKTVurl-status=live}}</ref> Another memorial is a hill on [[Mars]], Chaffee Hill, {{convert|14.3|km|miles}} south-southwest of [[Columbia Memorial Station]], part of the [[Apollo 1 Hills]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Martian Landmarks Dedicated to Apollo 1 Crew|url=http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/newsroom/pressreleases/20040127b.html|date=January 27, 2004|access-date=September 20, 2016|publisher=Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101063413/http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/newsroom/pressreleases/20040127b.html|archive-date=January 1, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Regor'' (''Roger'' spelled backwards), is a seldom-used nickname for the star [[Gamma Velorum]]. Grissom used this name, plus two others for White and himself, on his Apollo{{nbsp}}1 mission planning star charts as a joke, and the succeeding Apollo astronauts kept using the names as a memorial.<ref>{{cite web|work=Apollo 15 Lunar Surface Journal|url=https://history.nasa.gov/alsj/a15/a15.postland.html|title=Post-landing Activities|publisher=NASA}} commentary at 105:11:33</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna26566342|title=Derf, Dnoces, and other strange star names|last1=Rao|first1=Joe|date=September 5, 2008|publisher=NBC News|work=Space.com|access-date=January 28, 2019}}</ref> A terrestrial memorial is Chaffee Island, an [[artificial island]] off Long Beach, California, created in 1966 for drilling oil (along with White, Grissom and [[Ted Freeman|Freeman]] Islands).<ref>{{GNIS|255464|Island Chaffee}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27734345/the_philadelphia_inquirer/|title=Oil Biz: A Touch of Disney|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|page=14|date=May 27, 1978|via=Newspapers.com|agency=Los Angeles Times Service}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27734805/tampa_bay_times/|title=Is This An Apartment Complex...or an Oil Drilling Island?|newspaper=Tampa Bay Times|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|page=14|last1=Gore|first1=Robert J.|date=May 19, 1978|via=Newspapers.com|publisher=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> A park in [[Fullerton, California]], was named after Chaffee; parks were also named after his fellow Apollo{{nbsp}}1 comrades.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27734593/independent_presstelegram/|title=Astronaut's Widow Dedicates New Gus Grissom Park|newspaper=Independent Press-Telegram|location=Long Beach, California|date=April 3, 1971|page=46}}</ref> Chaffee is named with his Apollo{{nbsp}}1 crewmates on the [[Space Mirror Memorial]], which was dedicated in 1991.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27735356/muncie_evening_press/|title=Hoosier Among Astronauts Honored|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=Muncie Evening Press|location=Muncie, Indiana|date=October 13, 1989|page=11|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27735498/muncie_evening_press/|title='Space Mirror': Memorial for 15 Dead Astronauts Unveiled at Kennedy Space Center|date=May 10, 1991|newspaper=Muncie Evening Press|location=Muncie, Indiana|agency=Associated Press|last1=Dunn|first1=Marcia|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Chaffee's name is included on the plaque left on the Moon with the ''[[Fallen Astronaut]]'' statue in 1971 by the crew of [[Apollo 15]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28921156/hartford_courant/|title=2 Added Moonshots Called for by Scott|agency=Associated Press|location=Hartford, Connecticut|newspaper=Harford Courant|date=August 13, 1971|page=5|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

The dismantled [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 34|Launch Pad 34]] at Cape Canaveral bears two memorial plaques:

{{blockquote|They gave their lives in service to their country in the ongoing exploration of humankind's final frontier. Remember them not for how they died but for those ideals for which they lived.}}

{{blockquote|In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice so others could reach for the stars. Ad astra per aspera (a rough road leads to the stars). God speed to the crew of Apollo 1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cmgww.com/historic/white/about/biography.html|publisher=The Official Site of Edward White, II|title=Biography|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203010706/http://www.cmgww.com/historic/white/about/biography.html|archive-date=December 3, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>}}

The Roger B. Chaffee scholarship named for him has been awarded annually since 1967 to exceptional students in the Kent Intermediate School District for high school seniors who will be pursuing a career in math and science.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23360533/traverse_city_recordeagle/|title=Scholarship will be Astronaut Memorial|newspaper=Traverse City Record-Eagle|location=Traverse City, Michigan|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 27, 1967|page=19|agency=UPI|access-date=September 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902084515/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23360533/traverse_city_recordeagle/|archive-date=September 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rogerbchaffeescholarship.org/|title=Homepage|publisher=Roger B. Chaffee Scholarship Fund|access-date=September 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011172334/http://rogerbchaffeescholarship.org/|archive-date=October 11, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Chaffee Hall, an engineering building, was dedicated to him at his [[alma mater]], Purdue University, in 1968.<ref>{{cite news|title=Purdue Honors Roger Chaffee|agency=Associated Press|via=Newspapers.com|newspaper=The Escanaba Daily Press|location=Escanaba, Michigan|date=April 27, 1968|page=7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23360293/the_escanaba_daily_press/|access-date=September 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902084447/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23360293/the_escanaba_daily_press/|archive-date=September 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28881765/journal_and_courier/|title=Grissom, Chaffee Dedications to Honor Fallen Astronauts|newspaper=Journal and Courier|location=Lafayette, Indiana|date=April 26, 1968|page=14|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> [[Virgil I. Grissom High School|Grissom High School]], Ed White Middle School and Chaffee Elementary School in [[Huntsville, Alabama]], were named for the Apollo{{nbsp}}1 astronauts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.al.com/news/huntsville/2017/01/apollo_1_fire_a_terrible_price.html|title=Apollo 1 fire: 'A terrible price to pay for an awakening'|date=January 27, 2017|publisher=AL.com|access-date=March 7, 2019}}</ref>

Roger That! is an annual event sponsored by the [[Grand Rapids Public Museum]] and [[Grand Valley State University]] that celebrates space exploration and the life of Chaffee, who was a Grand Rapids native.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grpm.org/rogerthat|title= 'Roger That!'|publisher=GRPM}}</ref>

== Awards and honors ==
[[File:Roger B. Chaffee statue.jpg|thumb|Statue of Chaffee in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]]]]
Chaffee was awarded the Navy [[Air Medal]] for his involvement in Heavy Photographic Squadron 62. He completed 82 classified missions "of paramount military importance to the security of the United States".<ref name="navyhistory" /> The Apollo{{nbsp}}1 crew was awarded the [[NASA Distinguished Service Medal]] posthumously in a 1969 presentation of the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] to the Apollo 11 crew.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27531557/the_honolulu_advertiser/ |title=Astronauts Awed by the Acclaim |newspaper=The Honolulu Advertiser |location=Honolulu, Hawaii |page=1 |date=August 14, 1969 |last1=Smith |first1=Merriman |agency=UPI |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was posthumously awarded a second Air Medal. He was inducted into the [[New Mexico Museum of Space History|International Space Hall of Fame]] in 1983 and into the [[United States Astronaut Hall of Fame|U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame]], on October 4, 1997.<ref name="newmexico" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29964158/el_paso_times/|title=Space Hall Inducts 14 Apollo Program Astronauts|last1=Sheppard|first1=David|newspaper=El Paso Times|location=El Paso, Texas|date=October 2, 1983|page=18|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://astronautscholarship.org/Astronauts/roger-b-chaffee/|title=Roger B. Chaffee|publisher=Astronaut Scholarship Foundation|access-date=June 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803065049/http://astronautscholarship.org/Astronauts/roger-b-chaffee/|archive-date=August 3, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28283877/florida_today/|title=Ceremony to Honor Astronauts|newspaper=Florida Today|location=Cocoa, Florida|page=2B|date=October 2, 1997|last1=Meyer|first1=Marilyn|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Chaffee and White were awarded the [[Congressional Space Medal of Honor]] posthumously in 1997 (Grissom received the medal in 1978).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/SpaceMed|title=Congressional Space Medal of Honor|work=C-SPAN Video Library |publisher=C-SPAN|date=December 17, 1997|access-date=June 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016195856/http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/SpaceMed|archive-date=October 16, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> He was later awarded the NASA Ambassador of Exploration Award for involvement in the U.S. space program in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|date=October 4, 2007|first=Yvette|last=Smith|url=http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/features/chaffee_ambassador_of_exploration.html|title=NASA Honors Roger Chaffee With Exploration Award|publisher=NASA|access-date=June 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021061541/http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/features/chaffee_ambassador_of_exploration.html|archive-date=October 21, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

On the television show ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' a fictional 24th century spacecraft was named after him, designed by [[Doug Drexler]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=VC2wb9A7CD8C&q=chaffee Starship Spotter: Star Trek All Series by Adam 'mojo' Lebowitz, Robert Bonchune 2012]</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Okuda|first1=Michael|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cbYf2l7gczUC&q=Chaffee+shuttlecraft&pg=PT2337|title=The Star Trek Encyclopedia|last2=Okuda|first2=Denise|last3=Mirek|first3=Debbie|date=May 17, 2011|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-4516-4688-7|language=en}}</ref> They named it after Chaffee as a reminder about the dangers of space exploration.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Drexler|first1=Doug|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9YN0AwAAQBAJ&q=chaffee|title=Ships of the Line|last2=Clark|first2=Margaret|date=December 2, 2014|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-4767-9267-5|pages=248|language=en}}</ref> ''Star Trek'' and NASA have a long history of collaborations going back to the late 1960s when the television show made its debut.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How Star Trek Helped NASA Dream Big|url=https://www.airspacemag.com/space/how-star-trek-helped-nasa-dream-big-180976753/|access-date=March 11, 2021|website=Air & Space Magazine|language=en}}</ref>

In 2018 a life-size bronze statue of Chaffee was unveiled outside the Grand Rapids Children's Museum in Chaffee's hometown. His wife, other family members, and astronaut [[Jack Lousma]] (a Grand Rapids native) were present for the event.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/grand-rapids-central/enshrined-astronaut-roger-b-chaffee-statue-unveiled-in-grand-rapids/69-556125583|title=Enshrined: Astronaut Roger B. Chaffee statue unveiled in Grand Rapids|publisher=WZZM-TV|last1=Fromson|first1=Noah|date=May 19, 2018|access-date=July 23, 2018}}</ref>

== See also ==
*''[[Fallen Astronaut]]''
*[[List of Eagle Scouts]]
*[[The Astronaut Monument]]
*[[List of spaceflight-related accidents and incidents]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== References ==
* {{cite book|title=Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon|last1=Burgess|first1=Colin|last2=Doolan|first2=Kate|last3=Vis|first3=Bert|publisher=University of Nebraska|location=Lincoln, Nebraska|isbn=978-0-8032-1332-6|date=2008}}
* {{cite book|title=The Far Side of the Moon: A Photographic Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wm7fspWpJBAC&q=chaffee%20crater%20moon&pg=PT41|last1=Byrne|first1=Charles|isbn=978-0-387-73206-0|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|location=New York|date=2007}}
* {{cite book|title=...On Course to the Stars|last1=Chrysler|first1=C. Donald|last2=Chaffee|first2=Donald L.|publisher=Kregel Publications|location=Grand Rapids, Michigan|date=1968|oclc=439009}}
* {{cite book|last1=Thompson|first1=Floyd|last2=Borman|first2=Dolah|last3=Faget|first3=Maxime|last4=White|first4=George|last5=Geer|first5=Barton|date=April 5, 1967|title=Report of Apollo 204 Review Board|url=https://history.nasa.gov/Apollo204/summary.pdf|publisher=NASA|location=Washington, DC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514220957/https://history.nasa.gov/Apollo204/summary.pdf|archive-date=May 14, 2016|url-status=live}}

== External links ==
{{Commons}}
* [http://www.shapell.org/manuscript.aspx?lbj-apollo-death Lyndon Johnson Condolence letter to Chaffee Family] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619193506/https://www.shapell.org/manuscript/lbj-apollo-death/ |date=June 19, 2020 }} Shapell Manuscript Foundation
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20161228090507/http://astronautix.com/c/chaffee.html Astronautix biography of Roger B. Chaffee]

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