GEMINI AND APOI.I.O 



195 



consensus of their comments was that it was vital to get to the bottom 

 of why the accident had happened, what changes should be made to 

 insure that a similar type of accident would not happen again, and a 

 determination to press on with the program. 



THE COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION 



Three days after the fire, Chairman Miller assigned the respon- 

 sibility for a committee investigation to Teague's Oversight Subcom- 

 mittee, stressing that he wanted a "comprehensive and impartial 

 investigation." Although the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and 

 Space Sciences began investigative hearings shortly after the fire, 

 Teague decided that more meaningful hearings could be held once the 

 full report of the NASA Review Board became available early in April. 



In a colloquy on the House floor on January 30, numerous mem- 

 bers of the Science Committee made it clear that they favored a vigorous 

 continuation of the program, despite the tragedy. Chairman Miller 

 stated on that occasion: 



If the Almighty were to grant them the privilege of communicating with us, 

 they could not help but say — carry on, you must not stop now, do not let our deaths 

 be meaningless, and do not throw away what we have worked so hard to accomplish 

 up to now. 



Teague added: 



If the meaning of their lives is to be sustained, we must take up the challenge 

 of space they faced unafraid. Their quest for mastery of space must now be carried 

 forward by their fellow astronauts. There can be no greater memorial to Grissom, 

 White, and Chaffee than realization of the goals which they sought. 



Majority Leader Albert told the House: 



They have paved the way. Their brave companions, and men like them in the 

 future, will carry on until the job they helped start is done. 



A frequent critic of the Moon program, Representative Thomas 

 Pelly (Republican of Washington), was affirmative in his advice to 

 his colleagues: 



I suggest that despite the accident the program will go forward and succeed. 



And Representative J. Edward Roush (Democrat of Indiana), 

 asked and answered a key question: 



Where shall we go from here? We shall do just as these astronauts, whom we 

 now honor, would want us to do. We shall continue to press forward with the de- 

 termination that we shall attain this national goal for which they gave their lives. 



Finally, Representative Don Fuqua (Democrat of Florida) re- 

 lated to the House that he had discussed the risks with the astronauts, 

 all of whom understood very clearly the dangers involved. Fuqua 

 added: 



