204 



HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



Five astronauts who appeared before the committee — Borman, 

 Shepard, Slayton, McDivitt, and Schirra — spent considerable time in 

 Teague's office. He wanted to be sure that they understood that the 

 purpose of the searching hearings was not to find scapegoats through 

 a witch hunt, but to get to the bottom of what really happened and 

 what needed to be done to correct deficiencies, not only to protect the 

 astronauts, but to inform the public and restore confidence in the 

 program. 



Perhaps it took a medical doctor really to understand what 

 Teague was trying to do behind the scenes during the week of the 

 hearings. Dr. Charles A. Berry, Director of Medical Research and 

 Operations at the Manned Spacecraft Center (the personal physician 

 for the astronauts), wrote to Teague on May 1, 1967: 



I want to express my deep personal gratitude for your many kindnesses during the 

 hectic week of hearings in Washington. The very effective professional manner in 

 which you chaired these hearings should be made known to every American and 

 should indeed make one proud of our Congress. It was certainly a morale-booster for 

 all of us in the program. 



The great understanding and friendship shown to me by you and your wife and 

 the two wonderful Texas barbequed steak dinners in your office will never be for- 

 gotten. You made a week, which could have been unbearable, into a memorable 

 experience. 



On trips to Texas, Teague also went out of his way to call on the 

 widows and families of Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, in 

 an attempt to console them. On April 18, 1967, a hand-written note 

 came in from retired Maj. Gen. Edward H. White: 



Dear Mr. Teague: Mrs. White and I wish to commend and congratulate you for 

 the calm and dignified manner in which you conducted the hearing on the Apollo 

 tragedy. 



The exact cause of the accident may never be known, and I am convinced that it 

 was a freakish coincidence that would never occur again, and that all reasonable 

 precaution could not have prevented. 



The conquest of outer space must be pushed aggressively if our Nation is to 

 retain its technological leadership. Astronaut Ed White would have insisted on it. 

 Sincerely, 



Edward H. White, 

 Major General, USAF (rtf.) 



Teague responded to General White on May 12, 1967: 



I wish you could know how very much I appreciate your letter of about a month 

 ago. It has been a most difficult task for me to conduct the hearings on the Apollo 

 tragedy. 



It was not my desire to protect anyone or to persecute anyone; but to paint a 

 clear picture for the American people of the space program. However, with the press 

 interested mostly in headlines, it was rather difficult. 1 think it is all over now and I 

 hope we have been fair to everyone concerned, including your wonderful son, Ed 

 White. 



