Add a Memory
Make a Donation
Rocco Petrone Obituary
Petrone, who later served as director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, died Aug. 24 at his home in suburban Palos Verdes Estates of complications related to diabetes, his wife Ruth said this week.
Born in Amsterdam, New York, Petrone graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1946. After serving in Germany, he worked on various missile programs, including the nation's first ballistic missile.
He went to work for the Army general staff at the Pentagon before transferring in 1960 to NASA's facilities at Cape Canaveral, Florida, now the Kennedy Space Center.
Petrone took over planning, development and activation of all launch facilities for the Saturn rockets used in the Apollo program.
In 1966, he became director of launch operations at Kennedy Space Center and helped oversee the first Apollo launches.
He was watching launch operations center TV screens on Jan. 27, 1967, when a fire in the Apollo 1 command module killed astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee during a launch pad countdown test.
In an interview with The Associated Press 20 years later, he recalled feeling helpless.
"When the cry came out, I looked at the screen," Petrone said. "I saw something going on, I saw a shake, I saw a flash inside the ship. It was just utter helplessness. Just nothing you could do. You could not get to them. The thing exploded in 19 seconds ... Those minutes were heart-rending."
In 1969, the year of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing, he was named director of the entire Apollo program.
Petrone took over as director of the Marshall Center in Huntsville, Alabama, in 1973. There he oversaw the center's role in Skylab, the nation's first crewed space station before leaving a year later to accept an appointment as a NASA associate administrator at the agency's headquarters in Washington.
Petrone retired from NASA in 1975 and later served in senior posts at space shuttle-builder Rockwell International in California.
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press
47 Entries
John Petrone
July 24, 2019
I'm very proud of you, cousin, thank you...
great and most humbly beautiful in life on earth.
stephanie curry
August 10, 2012
stephanie diane curry. john:3:16!
albert mateu
February 15, 2009
i send my belated condolences.
rocco petrone's leadership & his ability to marshall thousands of people provide lesson's for me to this day. i was a boeing engineer on the program.
Marco Mangia
April 25, 2008
Rocco Petrone is a reason to be proud. We need men like him. A clear example of self-made man, in the same manner his parents that dealt with sweat and hard-work when left Italy.
- "...ignition sequence start, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, zero. All engines running. Liftoff "
Good speed, Rocco
How you can show support
ROSA PETRONE
March 25, 2007
I always know my father Antonio Petrone had a cousin in Nasa, I had a photograph where Mr Rocco Petrone is in Sasso di Castalda with my grandparents (his aunt), I am very proud of what he was. My condolences and prayers for Mr Petrone and his family.ROSA PETRONE BS. AR. ARGENTINA
Lucy Garrabrants
December 30, 2006
Our deepest sympathies to the Petrone family this year. We admired his contributions to science as well as his love for his family.
Philip J. Marron
December 29, 2006
A heart felt sadness came over me to find out about his passing and am hoping someone will take the time to do a biography that he deserves on such a powerful man. Not just for his monumental efforts to the space program but for the recognition he deserves for being who he was. A true American in every sense of the word.
Respectfully,
Marcos Leon Petrone
October 20, 2006
Conocí al Dr. Roco Petrone a traves de la prensa, así como su trayectoria en el programa espacial Apolo. Mis condolencias sinceras a la familia.
luigi colangelo petrone
October 15, 2006
I always knew i had a cousin in Nasa, internet made me find him, my condolences to his family even thoug i never met him, i am very proud of what he was,thank you rocco for being who you were
Jean Fagernes
September 13, 2006
On behalf of my dad, John Petrone (Rocco's older brother), and my siblings (Betsy Petrone in CT, Eileen Petrone in MD, Mary McArdle in PA, Judy Petrone in CT, and Tom Petrone in TX), we would like to extend our condolences to our aunt Ruth and to our cousins on our uncle's passing. It has been many years since we've seen one another, but thoughts of past family visits at Granny's house in Amsterdam, NY still bring back great memories.
We are all very proud of the legacy of our uncle's work in the space program. We still get a thrill when we read articles about him in newspapers, in books, and on the Internet. It is heartwarming to read remarks from so many folks from so many different places who knew him personally or knew about him. It is wonderful that he is being remembered both for his accomplishments and his character, so many years after the Apollo program.
With sincere sympathy,
Jean Petrone Fagernes
William(Bill) Wheeler
September 8, 2006
I have never worked with any one that I had more respect for.
Vincent Lombino
September 7, 2006
I never had the honor of meeting Dr. Petrone, but being an avid follower of Project Apollo since I was a child (I'm 43), I knew that he was one of the key people without whom we never would have made it off the pad, let alone to the Moon. He was a great man, a great American, and he will be missed by those that knew him, loved, him, and people like me, who merely admired the man, his accomplishments, and his place as a leader in Man's quest to explore our solar system. Thank you, sir.
Antonio Colangelo - Geocart's CEO
September 7, 2006
My sincere condolences to the family of Rocco Petrone from one working in the him similar sector and was honoured to be of the same country
Kind Regards
Graydon Corn
September 6, 2006
I served at NASA, KSC, as an engineer. My duties allowed me to observe Rocco in nearly every facet of his varied Positions. He was a 100%, no nonsense, manager and set an example to all who worked for him. Without Rocco's leadership it is doubtful that the Space Program would have survived.
Jerry de la Rosa
September 5, 2006
September 5, 2006
I had the distinct honor and great privilege of working under his leadership as a member of Launch Vehicle Operations at KSC. He epitomized West Point's Duty, Honor, Country.
Ed Fannin
September 5, 2006
I had the distinct honor and great privilege of working under Rocco as a member of Launch Vehicle Operations at KSC. Many of us believe that it was his leadreship and ability to get all invoved in the Apollo program working together to achieve the Apollo 11 lunar landing and the safe return of the crew to earth. He was a giant among men. There will never be another Rocco and we use his first name familiarly with the highest respect and love. My sincerest condolences to the family
David Moore
September 5, 2006
I didn't know Mr. Petrone personally, except from some of the interviews and video at the time and later books about the Apollo program, which showed him to be a major person involved in the that complex program.
Antonio Coronato
September 5, 2006
I once had the pleasure to speak with Mr. Petrone by phone.
My sincere condolences to the family of Rocco Petrone.
Regards
From Sasso di Castalda (the Italian village of parents)
Coronato Antonio
September 5, 2006
I once had the pleasure to speak with Mr. Petrone by phone .
My sincere condolences to the family of Rocco Petrone .
Regards
J.L. Pickering
September 4, 2006
Wow....what an amazing man Rocco was. As a close follower of the space program for many years, I had the priviledge of meeting many of the folks that made KSC work back in the Apollo days. Without a doubt, Rocco had the utmost respect of everyone. On a personal side, I have never forgotten the thrill I had when calling Rocco on the phone to talk Apollo. He did not know me from Adam, but seemed pleased that I would be interested enough to call and express my interest. I think he probably knew that I was was the one who was really honored and thankful. God speed Rocco.
Gerald Petrone
September 3, 2006
He was my uncle and my godfather. He will be missed. My deepest and sincere sympathies to my aunt Ruth and my cousins.
Richard
September 2, 2006
Dr. Petrone was one of the giants of the Apollo program. He made Grumman a stronger contractor by keping their feet to the fire for them to keep raising the bar higher and higher to produce a quality Lunar Module.
He was a fine man and a fine manager. We have lost one of the true giants of the Apollo program.
John Tribe
September 2, 2006
I had the privilege of working with Dr. Petrone throughout the Apollo program at KSC and again when he headed up Rockwell Space Division. To my mind he was a giant among men, a true leader and a dedicated American whose unheralded contribution to the space program has never been fully recognised. Without him I doubt that the lunar landing would have occured within Kennedy's timeline.
My sincere condolences to his wife and family.
Edward Calvelli
September 2, 2006
I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Petrone while with both Grumman and Rockwell. My life was forever enriched by his dynamic stature. My deepest condolences.
Warren Taylor
September 1, 2006
My dad was an engineer with Rocketdyne and later NAR Space Division during project Apollo, and I was thus pretty immersed in the details of the program. I was a 21 year old engineering student when Neil Armstrong took that first step on the moon. In my humble opinion what was accomplished between 25 May 1961 and 20 July 1969 was the greatest single accomplishment of our species, and Rocco Petrone was one of the giants of that effort. My condolences to his friends and family, but he will be missed by all who value the spirit of human exploration. His place in history is secure.
Michael Wright
September 1, 2006
It is sad to have another giant of the Apollo leave us. Thank you Rocco for building our space program.
D Lewis
September 1, 2006
Blessings on the family, in gratitude for a great American and his legacy.
Ann Parker
September 1, 2006
My sincere condolences to the family of Rocco Petrone. Take comfort in God's wonderful hope of the resurrection soon to come when we will be united with our loved ones.
George P. Butler
August 31, 2006
Those of us who grew up with the space program and followed the space pioneers into other worlds will remain indebted to Rocco Petrone. He needed no introductions. We knew him well. Hardly any space book is written without his name appearing somewhere between the pages of the fantastic story of courage, daring, and resolve as we began venturing out into space. For this he will not and cannot be forgotten.
Jeff Storm
August 31, 2006
I am saddened to see another aerospace pioneer leave us. I was Familiar with Rocco's contibutions having worked for North american's (Rockwell) Space Division. Tough minded people with a vision can make a difference. And, another generation has one more giant's shoulder to stand on.
Tony Planinac
August 31, 2006
My dad, the late Lt.Col. USAF (Ret.) J.W. Planinac worked with Rocco on the early APOLLO Program, culminating with the very successful APOLLO 4 "all-up systems" launch. I met Rocco as a little kid at the CAPE.
Godspeed Rocco.
Tony Planinac
Joseph Maguire
August 31, 2006
My condolences and prayers for Mr. Petrone and his family. He was truly one of the giants of the space race and deserves his place in history.
Olaf Bieler
August 31, 2006
Deepest condolences from a fan of the Apollo program. Even here in Germany his name is well known. He will be remembered as one of the brilliant people behind Apollo.
August 30, 2006
I offer my sincere condolences to the entire family. I knew and respected Rocco for his work and dedication while he was at NASA and Rockwell.
Daniel A. Nebrig, NASA-JSC (ret.)
Tad Danley
August 30, 2006
I have read much about Mr. Petrone's contributions to America through the space program. Thank you and may God bless you and your family.
Tom McKeever, NASA-KSC PE (Rt'd)
August 30, 2006
As a past Rockwell and STS worker, I only knew Rocco slightly, but enough to admire him greatly. Ad Astra, Rocco.
Roberta Villavecchia
August 30, 2006
As a fellow Apollo worker at KSC, I admired Mr. Patrones management skills and devotion to the employees who made Apollo a success.
NASA and the nation needs more like him.
Noel Hinners
August 30, 2006
My condonlences to the family. Rocco was a personal friend and mentor. He was one of the greatest supporters of space science and helped immensely in guiding Apollo to do outstanding lunar science.
J. Long
August 30, 2006
Deepest condolences from a fan of the Apollo program. As a child, I grew up dreaming of space flight while watching Mr. Petrone bring that dream to a reality. His vision and hard work will be sorely missed.
August 30, 2006
Anihter giant of Apollo gone...
Josie Soper
August 30, 2006
Please accept my deepest sympathies.
Ray Furst
August 29, 2006
Thanks for the memories from Apollo through the Space Shuttle. Rocco will be remembered for his contributions and for guiding those of many contractors. My sympathy to his family and friends.
Edward Goldstein
August 29, 2006
I had the honor of working under Dr. Petrone while working with Rockwell in Downey in the 1980s. He was a good leader and his place in America's space history leaves a tremendous legacy for future generations.
Showing 1 - 47 of 47 results
Make a Donation
in Rocco Petrone's name
How to support Rocco's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreResources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read more
The Five Stages of Grief
They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreWays to honor Rocco Petrone's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read moreMore ways to support the family
Visit the Sympathy Shop
Sponsored