Guam Congresswoman Reminds Students About School's Namesake

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Corwin Colbert, Joint Region Marianas Public Affairs

SANTA RITA, Guam (NNS) -- Guam's congressional representative visited Commander William C. McCool Elementary/Middle School on U.S. Naval Base Guam to make a special presentation Sept. 3.

"It is indeed a great honor for me to be here for this presentation," said Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo. "Several weeks ago, the director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) called me with a special request. He asked that on my next district visit to Guam, I present a special package from NASA to the school. Today, I proudly make this presentation."

Bordallo presented a framed collage that includes a picture of McCool holding a Guam flag that he carried on the last flight of the NASA Space Shuttle Columbia. He intended to present the flag to the community of Guam, where he lived as a teenager.

Also in the collage was a small Guam flag that the crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis carried to the International Space Station. The flag, along with the American flag, traveled 4.8 million miles in 186 orbits around the Earth from May 14-26.

Rear Adm. Paul Bushong, commander of Joint Region Marianas; Capt. Richard Wood, commanding officer of U.S. Naval Base Guam; and Dr. Steven Bloom, superintendent of Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific Guam also attended the ceremony.

Bordallo and Bushong encouraged students to learn about McCool's life and his achievements.

"Education was obviously an important element to the commander's success — a key point I hope the students here today remember as they grow into productive adults," Bushong said. "I ask everyone here today to remember that Cmdr. McCool possessed core values of what the world's most powerful Navy stands for. He had honor, courage and commitment to serve our great nation and to literally reach for the stars."

McCool was captain of Space Shuttle Columbia on its final tragic flight. Americans watched in shock as the shuttle, preparing to descend back to Earth, began to break into pieces Feb. 1, 2003. McCool and his six brave crew members never made it to their final destination.

The son of a Marine and Naval pilot stationed at Brewer Field, Naval Air Station Agana, Guam, McCool attended Dededo Middle School and John F. Kennedy High School where he excelled academically and athletically in long distance running.

After high school, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., and became a pilot with more than 2,800 hours of flight experience in 24 different types of aircraft and more than 400 aircraft carrier landings.