Arlington National Cemetery
The Space Shuttle "Challenger" Memorial was dedicated on May 20, 1986, in memory of the crew of flight STS-51-L, who died during launch on January 28, 1986. Transcribed on the back of the stone is the text of the John Gillespie Magee, Jr. poem "High Flight", which was quoted by then President Ronald Reagan when he addressed the disaster. Although many remains were identified and returned to the families for private burial, some were not, and were laid to rest under the marker. Two crew members, Scobee and Smith, are buried in Arlington. On February 1, 2004, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe dedicated a similar memorial to those who died when the Shuttle "Columbia" broke apart during reentry on February 1, 2003. Astronauts Laurel Clark, David Brown and Michael Anderson, who were killed in the "Columbia" disaster, are also buried in Arlington.
SS Drexel Victory
"Drexel Victory" departed Portland, Oregon for Yokohama, Japan on January 20, 1947. As part of Marshall plan she was loaded with more than 5,000 tons of grain. As she streamed down the Columbia River she struck the Columbia Bar hard and began breaking up between in her middle, between cargo holds 4 and 5. Captain Canute Rommerdahl was operating the ship for Olson & Company under the U.S. Maritime Commission. What the "Drexel Victory " hit is still a mystery as the charts for the area she hit recorded the channel at 57 feet deep. "Drexel Victory" water line was only at a depth of 30 feet. But, shifting sand bars are known to happen anytime. A large swell could have put her on a bar. She may have struck a submerged shipwreck. She was refloated and towed to sea by the USCGC Onondaga (WPG-79), but she sank 5 miles from Cape Disappointment due west of buoy #6. She lays at about 210 feet under the surface water at Latitude: 46.31232. Longitude: -124.1596. The "Drexel Victory" was abandoned without loss of life in the fog and darkness. The US coast guard reported the ship sank at 3:35 AM. The lifeboats were lowered and the crew of 30 loaded boarded as the ship started to break up. The US coast guard picked up the crew 2 hours later with the ship "USCGC Triumph". The crew and lifeboats were found near the SS "Columbia" by a river pilot schooner. Columbia river pilots ship program started in 1846, to help ships safety cross the treacherous Columbia River Bar. The Liberty ship SS "Joseph Gale" picked up some of the crew before the US coast guard ship arrived.