Charles Bassett

Charles Arthur Bassett II (December 30, 1931 – February 28, 1966) was an American electrical engineer and United States Air Force test pilot who became an astronaut. He studied at Ohio State University and later graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. After joining the Air Force as a pilot, he completed training at the Air Force's Experimental Flight Test Pilot School and the Aerospace Research Pilot School.

In 1963, Bassett was chosen to become a NASA astronaut and was preparing for his first space mission on Gemini 9. Sadly, he died in an airplane crash while training for this mission. Today, he is honored at the Space Mirror Memorial, The Astronaut Monument, and the Fallen Astronaut plaque placed on the Moon during the Apollo 15 mission.

Early life and education

Charles Bassett was born on December 30, 1931, in Dayton, Ohio. He enjoyed being active in the Boy Scouts of America, where he earned a high rank called Life Scout. During his school years, he loved building and flying model airplanes, which sparked his passion for real flying. He took his first flight alone when he was just 16 and got his private pilot license at seventeen.

After finishing high school in Berea in 1950, he studied at Ohio State University in Columbus for two years. In 1952, he joined the Air Force training program. Later, he went to Texas Tech University and earned a top-grade Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. He also did extra studies at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Military service

Charles Bassett began his Air Force career with training at Stallings Air Base in North Carolina and Bryan Air Force Base in Texas. He graduated from Bryan in December 1953 and became an officer in the Air Force. He then went to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada for more training, where he flew planes like the T-6, T-28, and T-33, and later the jet fighter F-86 Sabre.

Bassett served in Korea with the 8th Fighter Bomber Group but did not fly any combat missions. He was promoted to first lieutenant in May 1955 and returned to the United States, where he flew aircraft such as the F-86D, the F-102, and the C-119 at Suffolk County Air Force Base in New York. Later, he attended school at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, and graduated from both the Air Force Experimental Flight Test Pilot School and the Aerospace Research Pilot School. He became a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base in California, logging over 3,600 flying hours, with more than 2,900 in jet planes.

NASA career

Charles Bassett was one of NASA's third group of astronauts, chosen in October 1963. He took part in astronaut training and had special duties with training and simulators. On November 8, 1965, he was picked to be the pilot of the Gemini 9 mission with Elliot See as the command pilot. Bassett was set to do a ninety-minute spacewalk without being tied down, a task later done by Gene Cernan on Gemini 9A.

According to chief astronaut Deke Slayton, he chose Bassett for Gemini 9 because he was strong enough to carry both himself and See. Slayton also named Bassett as command module pilot for the second backup Apollo crew, working with Frank Borman and William Anders.

Personal life

Charles Bassett married Jeannie Martin on June 22, 1955. Together, they had two children.

Death

Main article: 1966 NASA T-38 crash

Charles Bassett and his fellow astronaut Elliot See passed away on February 28, 1966. Their T-38 trainer jet, flown by See, crashed into a building where spacecraft were being built. They were heading there to practice for their missions. The crash happened because of bad weather and flying too low. Both astronauts were buried in Arlington National Cemetery a few days later. Their fellow astronauts honored them with a special flyover during the funeral services.

Memorials

Charles Bassett is remembered at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center at the Space Mirror Memorial with 24 other NASA astronauts who passed away while working toward space exploration.

His name is also on a special plaque called the Fallen Astronaut at Hadley Rille on the Moon, placed there by the Apollo 15 mission in 1971. In 1996, Texas Tech University honored him by naming a building after him.