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A tribute to pilots from Icarus to the Columbia 7 and those to come.

What became of Icarus
When he flew to high?
What became of the birdmen?
Who tried to roam the skies?
What became of the balloonists?
When they tried to rise
It was here they found their calling
To the utmost of his highest.

In the time of the Wright Brothers
They chased after Hatteras winds
WWI was just a start for bush flyers
To become aces and airmen?
Then Lindbergh flew in twenty seven
Paris and St. Louis hoorayed in vain.
Germans had their zeppelins
The Hindenburg was just a dream.

Barnstormers came and went
As the 30's took them to Hollywood
Where movies told their stories
Through aviator tales of yore
WWII erased our awe and joy
Things got wilder when the Atom was born
Then Hiroshima screamed no more

The Space race came and Sputnik soared
Korea and Vietnam trained valiant men
NASA called them names of Ancient gods:
Apollo, Gemini, and others to name a few
Some reached high above the stars
While others reached the moon
The shuttles were built to train them
The tragedies have been many
Their spirit carried them through

Remember those who have fallen
For grieving families from Challenger
To those of Columbia 7
And to test pilots of every age
To their comrades to return to deep blue skies;
To pilot onward to heavens' ancient stars
To children who still dream onward
To new pilots beyond, fly on, Columbia, fly on