Challenger Commander’s Medal of Honor Finds a New Home at Heritage Center

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – This morning, the family of the late Dick Scobee gifted his Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center.

Scobee was the Commander of the Challenger space shuttle.

“It’s a tremendous honor for Chattanooga, and I want Chattanoogans everywhere to come see it,” said June Scobee Rodgers, Founding Chair of the Challenger Center.

The event was attended by public figures such as County Mayor Jim Coppinger, personal friends of the Scobee family, and fifth grade students from the Chattanooga School of Arts and Sciences.

“It was a tremendous feeling to know those people, those dignitaries and personal friends are here to honor Dick Scobee, who would have been very modest,” Rodgers continued.

The event also marked the beginning of a 2.5 million dollar campaign to develop a new exhibit at the Heritage Center, that will be dedicated to Commander Scobee.

Scobee’s son, Lietuenant General Richard Scobee hopes exhibits such as his father’s will educate and inspire new generations.

“There’s no more noble cause that we have, in order to bring up the generations behind us to do some of the same things that we’ve been able to do, and our world really needs it right now, more than ever,” he said.

All speakers at the event praised Scobee’s life, during which he rose from one of the lowest ranks in the Air Force to the commander of a space shuttle.

“I’m just happy that my dad was not just a hero to so many people who took part in that day and honored him on that day, but he was my hero, too,” said Kathie Scobee Fulgham, Scobie’s daughter.