This day, sixteen years ago, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated across Texas and Louisiana, only sixteen minutes from touching down at the end of its mission. The captain of the shuttle that day was former US Naval Academy cross country runner Commander William Cameron 'Willie' McCool. Most of us remember the first shuttle disaster, the Challenger, that occured a few years prior, but this one is less embedded in my memory. I was coaching the distance runners for the U. of Dayton, and we were at an indoor meet at Ohio State when the news started filtering in to us. I had forgotten the story about McCool being a former college runner. But his teammates have not forgotten him. Thanks to Walt Murphy This Day in Track and Field for keeping Cmd. McCool in our minds. Since his untimely passing a stone memorial and plaque have been placed on the Navy cross country course at a point where Willie McCool would have been sixteen minutes out from his best ever finish. His time that day was 27:24 for five miles.