In the Line of Duty Monument

at Space View Park

The monument is part of the U.S. Space Walk of Fame located in Space View Park, Titusville, Florida.

It honors those space workers and astronauts who died in support of the space program.

Listed below are the names on the monument and how they were lost. Although their lives were cut short, they shall be remembered through their contributions to the space program and the memories of family, friends, and those who worked alongside them.

Note: The lost Space Shuttle crews are honored at the Space Shuttle Monument (4th photo).

If you know someone you feel belongs on this monument, please contact us to see if they qualify to receive a free engraving.

DATE NAME POSITION COMPANY EVENT
1958-07-09 Fred D. Adams Maintenance employee Pan Am Died when he fell from Atlas service tower into an elevator shaft. Fred was the very first fatality at the Cape.
1960-01-28 Morris Carter Laborer B.B. McCormack Killed by a truck while watering down compacted earth for a Saturn pad.
1960-06-14 Joseph G. Sibole Technician Martin Killed while conducting a system check on the Titan when a tiny explosive charge blew up and ignited a flare package attached to the side of the intercontinental range rocket. Sibole’s death is the first at the Cape attributed directly to a missile mishap.
1961-05-21 Eugene M. Martin Security guard Pan Am Killed by lightning while directing traffic during Armed Forces Day open house.
1961-03-28 Harbin Daril Revis Assistant crane operator Leonard Brothers Killed in the industrial area of the Cape when the bucket of the crane swung around and hit the “hot” wire.
1962-07-08 Sgt. H. Smith Assigned to the 6555th Aerospace Test Wing Was fatally injured when he fell into an elevator shaft while performing maintenance on Complex 11 gantry.
1963-08-23 Airman McCubbin Assigned to GEIIA Was fatally injured in a fall from an 80 foot antenna tower. He was dismantling the tower at the time of accident.
1964-03-13 Vernon Emkey Iron WorkerEvent American Bridge & Iron Co. Was killed when he fell 38 feet from a Titan III Complex structure.
1964-04-14 (event) Sidney J. Dagle Missile technician Ball Brothers Research Corp. Died April 17, 1964 as a result of 3rd stage (X-248) rocket motor explosion in the Delta Spin Test Facility.
1964-04-14 (event) L. D. Gabel Missile technician Ball Brothers Research Corp. Died April 18, 1964 as a result of 3rd stage (X-248) rocket motor explosion in the Delta Spin Test Facility.
1964-04-14 (event) John W. (Jack) Fassett Space Craft Coordinator GSFC Died April 18, 1964 as a result of 3rd stage (X-248) rocket motor explosion in the Delta Spin Test Facility.
1964-04-27 Phillipe Bengas Phillipe was working down range support for the Apollo Program. Died as a result of an explosion aboard a range supply ship Gulf Stream at Grand Turk.
1964-07-02 Oscar Simmons Construction worker American Bridge & Iron Co. Died in accidental fall from 26th level of the VAB.
1964-10-27 William Pemberton Martin Company Killed when the forklift he was driving on Complex 19 perimeter road flipped over on him.
1965-04-28 Jerry B. Baker Construction worker McDowell-Wellman Eng. Co. Killed near the base of Complex 34 mobile service tower when a 15 foot section of 5 inch structural steel pipe, cut out of the service tower as part of a modification, fell 188 feet and struck him.
1965-05-04 Marion J. Anderson Truck Driver Glover BrickEvent Killed while walking in the VAB transfer isle between towers B and E of the high bay when a 12 foot wooden form fell 457 feet from the 37th floor and struck him.
1965-08-03 Albert J. Treib Construction superintendent George Fuller Const. Co. Killed by lightning at LC-39 Pad B when pouring concrete from a crane bucket into forms 40 feet up on the launchpad.
1966-03-16 V. S. Evans Electrician MeVa Corp. Killed while working on updating a Saturn 1B facility when he was struck by a descending elevator at Complex 37.
1966-07-28 James O. Dorminy Jr. Heavy equipment operator Trans World Airlines Killed during a rainstorm when an earthmover he was riding on rolled over on him.
1967-01-27 Virgil “Gus” Grissom Astronaut Lieutenant Colonel, USAF Died when a flash fire occurred in the command module during launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle at Complex 34 and known as the Apollo 1 fire.
1967-01-27 Edward H. White, II Astronaut Lieutenatn Colnel, USAF Died when a flash fire occurred in the command module during launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle at Complex 34 and known as the Apollo 1 fire.
1967-01-27 Roger Bruce Chaffee Astronaut Lieutenant Commander, USN Died when a flash fire occurred in the command module during launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle at Complex 34 and known as the Apollo 1 fire.
1968-05-16 William B. Estes Mechainic Bendix Corporation Died at LC-39 Pad A, in preparation for the Mobile Service Structure arrival. A faulty gauge indicated it was safe to remove a pipe cap from the pad 150 psi water supply line. The pressure released the iron cap when he started disconnecting it and it struck his chest.
1972-07-31 Darrell Ramsey Died when he fell 52 feet and landed on the second floor level of Launch Complex 34. Darrell worked for a Columbia, SC Company that was dismantling Pads 34 and 37.
1981-03-19 (event) John Bjornstad Mechanical technician Rockwell International Died at LC-39 Pad A from exposure to gaseous nitrogen conditions when entering the Orbiter aft compartment following a countdown demonstration test, prior to the first Space Shuttle launch.
1981-03-19 (event) Forrest Cole Quality Control Rockwell International Died April 1, 1981 resulting from exposure to gaseous nitrogen conditions when entering the Orbiter aft compartment following a countdown demonstration test, prior to the first Space Shuttle launch.
1981-03-19 (event) Nick Mullon Mechanical technician Rockwell International Died as a result of complications from gaseous nitrogen exposure after entering the orbiter aft compartment following a countdown demonstration test, prior to the first Space Shuttle launch.
1981-05-07 Anthony Hill Construction worker Wilholt International Corp. Died after falling 110 feet at LC-39 Pad B.
1981-06-10 Beau Sauselein Titusville Fire Fighter U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service Died at KSC after becoming trapped during firefighting.
1981-06-10 Scott Maness Titusville Fire Fighter U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service Died at KSC after becoming trapped during firefighting.
1985-06-08 Robert E. “Champ” Murphy BSI Lost foot in a Halon cylinder incident on March 2, 1978 and died as a result of the effects of the Halon exposure on June 8, 1985.
1986-03-24 Joseph L. Tyre Construction worker Cherokee Steel Erectors Died after falling 90 feet while installing a bridge crane in the Cargo Hazardous Servicing Facility.
1988-04-04 Lori Kay Gillan Laubenheimer Laboratory Assistant EG&G Environmental Died in an auto accident when a KSC tour bus ran a stop light.
1989-07-27 Clarence E. Hailey Electrical worker EG&G Died after falling from a platform in the VAB.
1995-11-28 Curtis Edwards Cook Heavy Equipment Operator EG&G Died in a forklift accident at the KSC Storage Yard from blunt force trauma to the head.
2001-07-08 Barton Barton Construction worker Precision Fabricating & Cleaning Killed by pipe coupling during disassembly of pressurized pipe at LC-37.
2001-08-24 Constantine “Gus” Valantasis Painter Valant Painting Inc. Died moments after falling 34 feet inside Hanger I CCAFS.
2001-10-01 Bill Brooks Crane Operator Boeing Company Killed at LC-37 while performing maintenance on Mobile Tower Crane.
2006-03-17 Steven Owens Roofer Space Gateway Support Died after falling from facility (SLSL) roof.
2011-03-14 James D. Vanover Swing-Bridge Engineer United Space Alliance Died from fall at Pad 39A while preparing Endeavour for its final launch

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Ver. 2020-08-13