Gus Grissom

Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom (April 3, 1926 - January 27, 1967) was an American astronaut.

He was bornMitchell, IndianaearnedB.S.mechanical engineering from Purdue University1950. He was marriedtwo children.

He was chosen withfirst groupastronauts1959. He was pilotMecury-Redstone 4 ("Liberty Bell 7"),second american (suborbital) spaceflight,command pilot forfirst manned Gemini mission (Gemini 3), as well as backup command pilotGemini 6,had been selected as commander offirst Apollo program flight attimehis death.

There wasdesireNASA managementone oforiginal Mercury Sevenbefirst manwalk uponmoon. Had Gus lived, he would very likely have been that man.

Grissom died alongfellow astronauts Edward WhiteRoger Chaffee inApollo 1 fire at Cape Kennedy.