FUNERAL SERVICES FOR ASTRONAUTS GRISSOM AND CHAFFEE, ARLINGTON CEMETERY, VIRGINIA, AND ANDREWS AFB, MARYLAND Reel 1 · Part 1

Description

Coverage of funeral services for Astronauts Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom and Lt. Cdr. Roger B. Chaffee with full formal honors at Arlington National Cemetery at 0900 and 1300 hours, respectively. Shows caskets arriving at Andrews AFB aboard MAC C-135B, caskets being transferred to hearses, funeral processions forming at Administration Building in cemetery, caskets being transferred to caisson drawn by six horses with three saddles empty and graveside ceremonies. CU of NASA floral spray. 4' LS of crowd. 8' Shows President Johnson arriving. 3' Scenes showing caisson drawn by six horses, three with saddles empty, arriving at graveside -- marching with the casket are Christopher Kraft, Robert Gilruth, Deke Slayton (in civilian clothes) USN Capt. Alan B. Shepard, Col. Leroy Gordon Cooper, Col. John H. Glenn, Jr., (Ret), USN Cdr. Malcom Scott Carpenter, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Grissom, Mrs. Betty Grisson and sons, removal of casket from caisson and taken to grave by AF pallbearers -- zoom in to show immediate family taking their graveside seats with President Johnson. President Johnson shaking Mr. Grissom's hand, flag being held over casket during eulogy and as taps is sounded, Gen. John P. McConnell and Hon Harold Brown standing in back of family and folding of flag. 331' MLS of flag flying at half mast -- trees in foreground. 335' MCU of flowers and crowd. 340' LS of three USN F-4B's flying over -- pan down to crowd. 345' Series of shots of caisson drawn by six horses, three with saddles empty, arriving at gravesite, USN enlisted men removing Astronaut Chaffee's casket from caisson and carrying it to grave, several scenes of Mrs. Chaffee and daughter Sheryl, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Chaffee and President Johnson -- President Johnson shaking Mrs. Chaffee's hand as the family takes their places by grave, pallbearers holding flag high over casket during eulogy prayer and taps then they fold the flag nd it is presented to Mrs. Chaffee, Shows President Johnson giving condolences to Mrs. Chaffee, her children Sheryl and Stephen and Mr. and Mrs. Donald Chaffee, then President Johnson leaves by car. 714' LS of crowd starting to disperse. 731' Total footage in reel. Reel 2 - SLATE: ROLL: R30F-26. 5' MLS of President Johnson's car arriving at gravesite. 14' Scenes of caisson arriving preceded by USN Band, squad of USN seamen, President Johnson getting out of car, USN pallbearers removing Astronaut Chaffee's casket from caisson and carrying it to grave, immediate family along with President Johnson taking their places by graveside, flag folding ceremony and flag being presented to Mrs. Chaffee, President Johnson giving condolences to the immediate family, then the President leaves in his limousine -- zoom in to casket, Astronaut Eugene Cernan escorting Mrs. Chaffee to car, crowd leaving as a USN lieutenant commander stands by casket. 351' SLATE: ROLL: R30F-22. 357' MS's of MAC C-135B taxiing in at Andrews AFB -- shows covered ambulatory ramp being rolled up to aircraft, AF pallbearers followed by USN seaman boarding aircraft and carrying Astronauts' caskets off of aircraft, caskets being carried side by side through honor guard nd loaded into hearses, then hearses pull away. 573' Total footage in reel. Reel 3 - Scenes of Astronaut Grissom's funeral showing three F-101's flying over with missing slot -- camera pans down to show crowd, American flag being folded, President Johnson giving condolences to Mrs. Grissom and Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Grissom, President departing in limousine, and Mrs. Grissom and her two sons being escorted to car. 81' SLATE: ROLL: R30C-51. 82' LS flyover of three USN F-4B's. 86' Scenes of Astronauts cortege arriving at gravesite, USN Band playing, USN men saluting, crowd behind roped off area, President's car leaving, and grave with casket lowering. 156' SLATE: ROLL: R30C-58. 161' MLS of guard and part of Headquarters Command NCO Academy students -- Andrews AFB Operations Building in background. 166' LS and MLS of crowd. 173' MS's of honor guard -- Astronaut Grissom's casket being carried off C-135B and caskets of Astronauts' Grissom and Chaffee being carried side by side through honor guard to hearses, and AF and USN seamen pallbearers leaving -- intercut with scenes of color guard, honor guard and crowds. 255' MLS pan crowd at Astronaut Grissom's funeral, flag folding ceremony, flyover of three F-101's with missing slot, President Johnson's car pulling away, Mrs. Grissom leaving grave, casket lowering, and man standing at head of grave with head bowed. 337' TAIL SLATE: ROLLS: R30C-68, 70 AND 63. 340' Scenes of AF pallbearers transferring Astronaut Grissom's flag-draped casket from hearse to caisson at the Administration Building in Arlington Cemetery and USAF Band leading funeral procession through cemetery and arriving at gravesite -- shows President Johnson getting out of car, casket being carried to grave, and immediate family taking their places by graveside. 521' SLATE: ROLL: R30C-59. 524' MLS high angle of MAC C-135B taxiing in near honor guard and pallbearers. 547' MLS's high angle of Astronauts' caskets being carried off C-135B and carried side by side through honor guard to hearses, then hearses pull away. 602' SLATE: ROLL: R30C-67. 606' Scenes of Astronaut Chaffee's casket being transferred from hearse to caisson at Administration Building in Arlington Cemetery and funeral procession moving through cemetery. 691' SLATE: ROLL: R30C-10. 692' MS of caisson with Astronaut Grissom's casket passing -- marching with casket are Christopher Kraft, USN Capt. Shepard, Deke Slayton in civilian clothes, USN Cdr. Carpenter, Robert Gilruth, USMC Col. Glenn (Ret), Col. Cooper and USN Cdr. Young. 716' LS of crowd -- placement of casket on platform in background. 757' Total footage in reel.

Collection

Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations

Series

Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities