Description Space Division uniform patch belonging to Charles Edward Jones. The patch features an embroidered blue background with gold details and an insignia of a diagonal upward arrow in the center. "SPACE DIVISION" is embroidered at the bottom.
Historical Notes Clinton, Indiana, native Charles Jones lived in Bedford, Massachusetts, with his wife, Mary. Charles had trained as an astronaut in the U.S. Air Force’s Manned Spaceflight Engineer Program. He retired as a colonel in 1999 and joined BAE Systems as a program manager. In his time off, he enjoyed scuba diving and hunting game birds. On September 11, Charles boarded Flight 11 on business. He was 48 years old.
Curator's Comment Charles Jones majored in astronautical engineering at the U.S. Air Force Academy and began a career with the U.S. Air Force’s space program. Selected for the Manned Spaceflight Engineer (MSE) Program, he was scheduled for a 1987 mission, which was scrubbed after the 1986 Challenger explosion. His MSE underwater training nonetheless instilled in him two life-long passions: scuba diving and underwater photography. When later asked whether Charles had unrealized dreams, his wife said that he had already been doing exactly what he wanted to do. HIDE