A.E. van Vogt story? Astronauts inhabit simian bodies

I seem to associate this story with van Vogt and the 1940s. Space trips are so long humans are forced to switch bodies with simians while their own bodies are in suspended animation. This involves some kind of sacrifice on the part of the astronauts – can’t remember just why. Eventually faster trips are possible and the practice is abandoned. The last line describes a statue dedicated to the scientist who developed the process: ‘At the base of the statue is a terrified ape with a man with the face of a god standing above him’ – something like that. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.