Kennedy Space Center
On February 1, 2003, "Columbia" and her crew of seven were lost during re-entry over Texas during the STS-107 mission (the 113th shuttle flight); a vehicle breakup triggered by damage sustained during launch from Pad 39A on January 16, when a piece of foam insulation from the orbiter's external fuel tank struck the orbiter's left wing. During reentry, the damage created a hole allowing hot gases to melt the wing structure. Like the "Challenger" disaster, the resulting investigation and modifications interrupted shuttle flight operations at KSC for more than two years until the STS-114 launch on July 26, 2005.
USS Haraden (DD-183)
Assigned to Canada and renamed HMCS "Columbia" following the Canadian practice of naming destroyers after Canadian rivers (but with deference to the U.S. origin), after the Columbia River originating in British Columbia and flowing into Washington and thence along the Oregon border. "Columbia" first underwent refit and then was assigned to convoy duties in the Atlantic. Her first major action began 15 October 1941 when she joined convoy SC 8, already under submarine attack. "Columbia", and the other escorts fought valiantly, but nine merchantmen from the convoy were sunk before reaching England. After the U.S.'s entry into the war "Columbia" was reassigned to convoy ships from New York to St. Johns, Newfoundland, the first leg of the transatlantic journey. She escorted convoys and performed anti-submarine patrol until 25 February 1944, when she struck a cliff in foul weather off the coast of Newfoundland. "Columbia" was not fully repaired after the accident but made watertight and used as a fuel and ammunition hulk in Nova Scotia until her return to the War Assets Administration for disposal in August 1945 when she was sold for scrapping.