Space Shuttle Challenger Patch
This unique plaque has the Space Shuttle, Challenger Memorial Patch McClelland designed in January 1986 to commemorate the deaths of seven brave NASA Astronauts that perished in the explosion on 28 January 1986. It recognizes their climbing like white doves towards the glowing sun or the God of our earthly existence. There are 7 white stars, 7 red US Flag bars, 7 white US Flag bars and between the two bottom stars, the initials of Clark McClelland, CM, have been sewn into the deep blue background. Below the shuttle is a statement made famous by a WW II American pilot, who enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and flew for England prior to the USA entering WW II. See his famous poem below. The Space Shuttle Challenger Astronauts also touched the face of God!
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things you have
not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
high in the sunlit silence. Hovering there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
my eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
the high untresspassed sanctity of space,
put out my hand and touched the Face of God.
Pilot Officer, John Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF flying a Spitfire, WW II
Killed, on 11 December 1941, age 19.
