The Explorers' Club, № CMLXXX

The Space Race—The New Nine, Part X
Elliot McKay See Junior (23 July 1927-28 February 1966), Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve—He was scheduled to fly Gemini IX (1966), but perished piloting a T-38; he was the oldest member of Astronaut Group 2 at the time of selection & a civilian test pilot, instead of active-duty military; he was the only one not to fly in space; he was a test pilot for General Electric of G.E.-engined jet aircraft.

Commentary: See served as Backup Pilot of Gemini V with Backup Command Pilot Neil Armstrong, which normally would have put them in line to serve together as the crew of Gemini VIII. In the course of events, Astronaut Group 3 member Dave Scott flew Gemini VIII with Armstrong while See was assigned as Command Pilot of Gemini IX with Astronaut Group 3 member Charlie Bassett. In response to a question about See's reasignment from Gemini VIII to Gemini IX, Armstrong said:

"Elliot's too good a pilot not to have a command of his own."

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: New Nine—Elliot See
Michael Giacchino, "Tragic Story of Rex Racer" from Speed Racer: Original Motion Picture Score (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Elliot See
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCCII: In Memoriam Elliot See & Charlie Bassett
The Stars My Destination: The 57th Anniversary of the 1966 T-38 Crash

The Wayback Machine Tour of the New Nine
"The Explorers Club," № CMIII: Astronaut Group 2 (Part I)
"The Explorers Club," № CMXXV: John Young (Part II)
"The Explorers Club," № CMXXX: Jim McDivitt (Part III)
"The Explorers Club," № CMXXXVIII: Ed White (Part IV)
"The Explorers Club," № CMXLVI: Pete Conrad (Part V)
"The Explorers Club," № CMXLVIII: Frank Borman (Part VI)
"The Explorers Club," № CMXLIX: Jim Lovell (Part VII)
"The Explorers Club," № CMLXXI: Tom Stafford (Part VIII)
"The Explorers Club," № CMLXXIV: Neil Armsrong (Part IX)

Requiescat in pace.