Mural: Richard "Dick" Scobee

Early Life

Dick Scobee was born on May 19th, 1939, in Cle Elum, WA to parents Francis and Edlynn. He and his family moved to the City of Auburn in the late 1940s from the Central Cascades, with Dick attending Washington Elementary School, Cascade Jr. High School and Auburn Senior High School from which he graduated in 1957.

Military Service

Once Dick turned 18, he joined the United States Air Force. He was assigned to Kelly Air Force Base where he worked as a reciprocating engine mechanic and attended night school, acquiring two years college credit, leading to his selection for the Airman’s Education Commission Program. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering and received his Air Force commission in 1965, with his wings following a year later. He completed a number of assignments, including a combat tour in Vietnam. He later graduated from the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California where he took part in the testing of 45 different types of aircraft including the Boeing 747, the X24B, the transonic aircraft technology (TACT) F-11 and C-5 Galaxy.

(Dick Scobee pictured inside one of NASA’s T-38 Jets in 1984)

Career at NASA

Dick was once quoted saying “When you find something you really like to do, and you’re willing to risk the consequences of that, you really probably ought to go do it”. So, when he had the opportunity to apply for a position with NASAs astronaut corps, he jumped at it. He was selected in January 1978 and completed his training and evaluation period in August of 1979. His first shuttle assignment was as pilot aboard Space Shuttle Challenger during Mission STS-41-C, launching April 6, 1984, on a weeklong journey. While the mission had its own obstacles, Challenger’s crew successfully completed the mission objectives and returned home safely one week later.

Final Flight

Scobee’s second and final assignment was again aboard Challenger for Mission STS-51L, this time as commander, with six crewmates in total on board. The launch had been postponed four times by weather and technical problems with some engineers expressing concern about liftoff that day because of extremely low temperatures that had dipped to 25 degrees that morning. But, with the countdown proceeding smoothly and with the temperature creeping towards 40 degrees, officials gave the go ahead on January 28th, 1986. Challenger blasted off into a clear sky at 11:38 A.M. At 58 seconds, a tongue of flames burst through a joint on one of the solid fuel booster rockets, igniting a chain reaction that transformed Challenger into a massive fireball 8.9 miles into the air after a flight of 73 seconds, killing all seven astronauts on board.

Legacy

Scobee was inducted into the U.S Astronaut Hall of Fame on May 1, 2004, along with his five other crew mates, Auburn Municipal Airport was honorifically named “Dick-Scobee Field” to celebrate the life and achievements of a great Pacific Northwest Native. Dick enjoyed flying, oil painting, woodworking, motorcycling, racquetball, jogging and most outdoor sports. June Scobee Rodgers had this to say on the passing of her husband “Without risk, there’s no discovery, no new knowledge, no bold adventure. The greatest risk is to take no risk”.

Mural: Richard "Dick" Scobee

Early Life

Military Service

Career at NASA

Final Flight

Legacy

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