 How did Hank die?
The head of the American Legion and the chief of police, who had escorted him on this trip from the square, didn't ask to go in with him. They held onto each other as if seeking mutual support, the thirty-three-year old woman and ten-year-old boy. So he put him down and told himself that it would all change, that everything would loosen up just as his commanding officer, General Carlisle, had said it would early this morning before he left Washington. Carlisle had said his position was analogous to Columbus', to Vasco De Gama's, to Preshoff's when the Russian returned from the Moon—but more so.
 Hank's experimental continent-to-continent flight vessel exploded.
 Hank's spacecraft exploded when it hit Earth's atmosphere on the way home from Mars.  Hank's experimental continent-to-continent flight vessel exploded.  Hank died when he crashed his car on the way to the mission launch.  Hank's spacecraft exploded when it hit Earth's atmosphere on the way home from the moon.