09/08/1982
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu...
"I will make every effort to get to the bottom of this tragedy."
"I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff."
"Indeed, the whole incident appears to be inexplicable to civilized people everywhere."
"On behalf of all our people, I want to thank you all for your courage, your commitment to space research."