25 years ago tomorrow....

At the Honda bike shop where I was service manager. I remember vividly how sad a moment it was.

 

Took a few minutes break from work and checked on my parents (father had just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer). Mail carrier knocked on the door with a package that had to be signed for and told us it just occurred.

 

It was fairly late in the morning.....around 11:00 o'clock, I think.

 

I was in my dorm room at college. Mom called, girl I was with answered. Mom didn't say who she was, just asked if I was there. Girl said 'he's in bed, hang on'. Mom told me about the accident then said 'you have some explaining to do'.

 

In the turn lane on the Eastern Blvd on my way home from school (6th grade)

 

Airport Honda, ATL

JUST had arrived, and parked my brand new FZ600, walked in and it had just happened. I remember the TV coverage zooming in on larger parts raining down, actually zeroing in on the crew compartment and openly speculating that perhaps the crew could survive not only the blast but the impact into the ocean.

It became clear quite quickly as I recall, that the investigation uncovered evidence that they never should have attempted the launch in those very cold conditions, due to the massive O rings connecting the external rocket motor sections shrinking/not sealing to spec.

There was plenty of warning, but the upper management just kind of poo-poo'd the warnings and went ahead w/ the launch.
Such a massive empty feeling after witnessing it, I can't imagine how the families of those astronaut's, some of whom were there to view it, could even go on.

The televised imagery that was replayed over and over again, searing those last few seconds into my brain would all come back 15 yrs later, on another beautiful and clear morning...

 

I was in high school watching it with a rather high strung teacher who tried to be "the teacher" on the shuttle and a group of students. Then a buddy of mine comes in and asks "what's up?". The teacher responds with "The shuttle blew up." My Buddy, (who was probably stoned) thought he said "the shuttle went up." and responded with an enthusiastic "KICK ASS!".Then teacher went ballistic on him...
Ahh high school.

 

M-1 Tank live fire range. Middle of 2 weeks in the field. Ft. Hood, Texas.

 

First time there?

 

Wathcing it at school, think I was in grade 4 or something, I still remember the look on the teacher's face.

 

At Fort Knox, yes. At the barber shop, no.

 

In my freshman year at Va Tech. Sitting in a biology lab taking a test....A teacher walked in and shared the news.
Finished the test & went straight back to the dorm & watched the news footage.
Sad day....

 

I was 2 days away from my 23rd birthday!:up:

 

Middle school, going from one class to the next...

 

Fort Knox barber shop is what I meant. That's where I went to basic and AIT.
Fort Knox I mean, not the barber shop.

 

Yep. Basic training - Misery, Agony, and Heartbreak.

 

Skiing at Killington, VT with two friends. Came into the lodge for some coffee and it was real quiet. Took a moment to realize everyone was watching TV monitors, and to learn what happened.

 

Sick at home from work.

 

Was in Mrs. Leonard's 6th grade class in Lexington, Ky. We weren't watching it but another teacher must have as she burst in the classroom and said "the shuttle just blew up!" I remember she was really frantic about it and watching the evening news with my parents that night. Was very sad.

 

Watching it in Debate Class in High School. Never forget it either.