John Glenn's Remains Disrespected: Mortuary Staffer Offered 'A Peek' Of Astronaut
May 26 2017, Published 12:28 p.m. ET
The U.S. Air Force is currently investigating claims that a mortuary staffer offered two inspectors "a peek" at famed astronaut John Glenn's body while it was awaiting burial in Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, the Military Times reports.
The website claims it obtained a memo — written by the Defense Department’s director of casualty and mortuary affairs Deborah Skillman — summarizing the alleged incident, which then spurred outraged Pentagon officials to kick off a top-level investigation.
Skillman called the mortuary staffer's purported behavior "clearly inappropriate and personally shocking."
According to the memo, the two inspectors declined to see the American icon, who became the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth in 1962. He died December 8, 2016 and wasn't buried until April 6, his wedding anniversary with wife Annie.
"The Air Force takes extremely seriously its responsibility to fulfill the nation's sacred commitment of ensuring dignity, honor and respect to the fallen and care, service and support to their families," said Col. Patrick S. Ryder, an Air Force spokesman at the Pentagon, told the news site. "At the conclusion of the investigation, the Air Force will determine what further corrective actions, if any, may be necessary and appropriate.
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"If any allegations of misconduct are substantiated, those involved will be held accountable."
The Glenn family has since been notified of the incident, the Military Times reported.
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