Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, a pioneering astronaut in the U.S. Space Program, passed away on January 27, 1967 at the age of 40. Mr. Grissom was born on April 3, 1926 in Mitchell, Indiana to Dennis and Cecile Grissom. After graduating from high school in 1944, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, serving as an aircraft mechanic and pilot. He was honorably discharged in 1945. He later earned an associate's degree in applied science from Purdue University in 1950 and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1952. Mr. Grissom was selected to be a part of the Air Force's Man in Space Soonest program, but when the program was cancelled, he was accepted into the second group of astronauts selected by NASA in 1962. A year later he became the first American to fly into space, during the flight of Liberty Bell 7. He was the pilot of the Gemini 3 mission as well. After leaving NASA, Mr. Grissom began work on the Apollo program and, in 1967, he was the first astronaut selected to fly on the Apollo mission. Tragically, Mr. Grissom was killed in a training exercise prior to the flight. Mr. Grissom was a brave and inspirational figure in the space exploration effort, and his legacy will continue to influence the future of space exploration.