Statement on the Death of Walter M. Schirra, Jr.

Laura and I are saddened by the death of Wally Schirra. Wally was a member of the original seven, our Nation's first class of astronauts. "Jolly Wally," as he was affectionately known, was the fifth American to go into space, and holds the distinction as the only astronaut to fly in each of NASA's pioneering space flight programs: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. His ventures into space furthered our understanding of manned space flight and helped pave the way for mankind's first journey to the Moon. Laura and I join Wally's family and friends and the NASA community in mourning the loss of an American hero.