Virgil I. Grissom was an American astronaut and one of the original seven astronauts selected for the Mercury program. Born on April 3, 1926, in Indiana, he became the second American to fly in space, piloting the Liberty Bell 7 on July 21, 1961. Grissom was known for his contributions to the early days of the U.S. space program. In addition to his Mercury flight, Grissom also flew on the Gemini 3 mission in 1965, which was the first crewed flight of the Gemini program. Tragically, he lost his life in the Apollo 1 accident on January 27, 1967, during a pre-launch test. Grissom's legacy continues to inspire future generations of astronauts.