Source: This document taken from the Report of Apollo 204 Review Board
NASA Historical Reference Collection, NASA History Office, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC.

Memorandum For the Apollo 204 Review Board

1. The Apollo 204 Review Board is hereby established in accordance with NASA Management Instruction 8621.1, dated April 14, 1966, to investigate the Apollo 204 accident which resulted in the deaths of Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, Lt. Col. Edward H. White and Lt. Cmdr. Roger B. Chaffee on Launch Complex 34, on January 27, 1967.

2. The Board will report to the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

3. The following are hereby appointed to the Board:
   • Dr. FLoyd L. Thompson, Director, Langley Research Center, NASA, Chairman
   • Lt. Col. Frank Borman, Astronaut, Manned Spacecraft Center, NASA
   • Maxime Faget, Director, Engineering & Development, Manned Spacecraft Center, NASA
   • E. Barton Geer, Associate Chief, Flight Vehicles & Systems Division, Langley Research Center, NASA
   • George Jeffs, Chief Engineer, Apollo, North American Aviation, Inc.
   • Dr. Frank A. Long, PSAC Member, Vice President for Research and Advanced Studies, Cornell Unversity
   • Col. Charles R. Strang, Chief of Missiles & Space Safety Division Air Force Inspector General Norton Air Force Base, California
   • George C. White, Jr., Director, Reliability & Quality, Apollo Program Office, Headquarters, NASA
   • John Williams, Director, Spacecraft Operations, Kennedy Space Center, NASA

4. George Malley, Chief Counsel, Langley Research Center, will serve as counsel to the Board.

5. The Board will:
   • Review the circumstances surrounding the accident to establish the probable cause or causes of the accident, including review of the findings, corrective action, and recommendations being developed by the Program Offices, Field Centers, and contractors involved.
   • Direct such further specific investigations as may be necessary.
   • Report its findings relating to the cause of the accident to the Administrator as expeditiously as possible and release such information through the Office of Public Affairs.
   • Consider the impact of the accident on all Apollo activities involving equipment preparation, testing, and flight operations.
   • Consider all other factors relating to the accident, including design, procedures, organization, and management.
   • Develop recommendations for corrective or other action based upon its findings and determinations.
   • Document its findings, determinations, and recommendations and submit a final report to the Administrator which will not be released without his approval.

6. The Board may call upon any element of NASA for support, assistance, and information.

Updated February 3, 2003
Steve Garber, NASA History Web Curator
For further information E-mail histinfo@hq.nasa.gov