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TLS as president, one page, 6.75 x 8.75, White House letterhead, February 2, 1967. Letter to E. C. Welsh, executive secretary of the National Aeronautics and Space Council, in full: "I was encouraged by your report on the activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Council over the past year. I know that you and your staff must share my sadness at the Apollo tragedy. But it is a comfort to know that we share equally in the determination to reach into the heavens and find there the dream of man. I look to your strong hands for guidance in that quest." In fine condition, with a faint block of toning from prior display and a few small pieces of tape to reverse.
Just days earlier on January 27, 1967, a cabin fire during a pre-launch test claimed the lives of Apollo 1 astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. As a strong supporter of the space program, President Johnson emphasized the importance of continuing the Apollo missions despite the setback. In the aftermath of the tragedy, he backed a thorough investigation which resulted in a renewed commitment to safety and reforms that ultimately led to the successful moon landing in 1969.
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