Funds for the statue were raised by the Michigan Military Preservation Society, a veterans history group, and the Lowell American Legion Post #152.

The plaque on the base of the statue reads:

Roger B. Chaffee

Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy

1935 - 1967

Grand Rapids Native - US Navy Aviator - NASA Astronaut

Roger Chaffee perished during a test of Apollo 1 on 27 January 1967

with crewmates Virgil "Gus" Grissom and Edward White II.