Riding the Hound — Charles Bowen

Despite budget cuts, Apollo sustained four missions beyond number 17. The bicentennial tragedy of Apollo 21 still hangs over the country. In the summer of '76, I made that ride home by myself. When I arrived, there was no confetti parade or visit to the White House. NASA said I died on re-entry. They added another caisson and dragged three empty caskets across the Arlington Bridge. leaving me with a bucket-full of mysteries about the real tragedy that was Apollo 21.