Grissom taking off from Grissom

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Scott Grissom, son of Lt. Col. Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, takes off in a KC-135R Stratotanker simulator here Sept. 30. Scott, along with his uncle Lowell, visited the base to take part in a special rededication ceremony honoring Colonel Grissom. Scott flew for a number of years as a civilian airline pilot and had no trouble mastering the controls of a KC-135. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner)

Sharing a laugh

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Lowell Grissom, center, shares a laugh with Judy Despinoy, Vicki Cahoon and Col. William T. "Tim" Cahoon shortly after a rededication ceremony held here Sept. 30. Lowell is the brother of Lt. Col. Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, one of America's original seven astronauts who lost his life during an Apollo 1 training mission. Cahoon is the 434th Air Refueling Wing commander and Vicki is his wife. Despinoy is the wife of former 434th ARW commander retired Brig. Gen. Dean Despinoy, who was also at the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner)

A closer look...

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Sharyn Kersey, staff member for Congressman Todd Rokita, sits in the pilot's seat of a KC-135R Stratotanker during a tour here following a base rededication ceremony Sept. 30. The tour was aimed at giving the civic leaders better insight into what Grissom has to offer. The base was rededicated in the honor of Lt. Col. Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, who tragically lost his life during a training mission aboard Apollo I. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jami K. Lancette)

Stratotanker tour

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Master Sgt. Tim Stibbe, 74 Air Refueling Squadron in-flight refueling technician, briefs a group of civic leaders on the operations of a KC-135R Stratotanker here following a base rededication ceremony Sept. 30. The tour was aimed at giving them better insight into what Grissom has to offer. The base was rededicated in the honor of Lt. Col. Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, who tragically lost his life during a training mission aboard Apollo I. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jami K. Lancette)

Brotherly love

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Lowell Grissom, brother of fallen astronaut Lt. Col. Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, tells a packed audience of how his brother would have been honored to have an Air Force base named after him during a base rededication ceremony held here Sept. 30. The base was originally named after the fallen astronaut in 1968 and was rededicated in his honor. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner)

Remembering his father

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Scott Grissom, son of fallen astronaut Lt. Col. Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, speaks of his father's love for flying during a base rededication ceremony here Sept. 30. The base was renamed from Bunker Hill Air Force Base to Grissom AFB in 1968 during a similar ceremony that Grissom attended in 1968. Colonel Grissom was one of America's original seven astronauts, the first American to fly two missions into space, and tragically lost his life during an Apollo 1 training mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner)