Posted on 02/18/2012 7:18:52 PM PST by Deo volente
(AP) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - John Glenn joined the proud, surviving veterans of NASA's Project Mercury on Saturday in celebrating the 50th anniversary of his historic orbital flight.
The first American to orbit the Earth thanked the approximately 125 retired Mercury workers, now in their 70s and 80s, who gathered with their spouses at Kennedy Space Center to swap stories, pose for pictures and take a bow.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Ignoant Fox Female news reader said he (Glenn) was the first American in space. Tell that to the Widows of Alan Shepard and Gus Grissum!
The 90-year-old Glenn was joined on stage by Scott Carpenter, 86, the only other survivor of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, as the anniversary festivities began.
Glenn recalled how he and his fellow Mercury astronauts traveled during their training to Cape Canaveral to watch a missile blast off. It was a night launch, and the rocket blew apart over their heads.
“That wasn’t a very good confidence-builder for our first trip to the cape,” Glenn said.
Improvements were made, and Glenn said he gained confidence in his Mercury-Atlas rocket, a converted nuclear missile. Otherwise, he said, he would not have climbed aboard.
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_19992064#ixzz1mnHYO37n
So the Mercury 7 are 5 now?
Reporter should have spoken the Shepard's Prayer: "Dear Lord, don't let me f*** up".
Of course, he said it over an open mike. Heartfelt prayers are generally sincere, IMHO.
/johnny
You do realize that this means that THEY are getting old. Not me.
/johnny
Yup. Next thing the reporter says is that Buzz Aldrin saw the Decepticons load modules from the dark side of the moon.
50th anniversary coming up this Monday. I was in second grade that day in 1962.
I’m pretty sure the people of Derry, New Hampshire jumped right out of their recliners when they heard that. They (we) are pretty proud of Alan B. Shepard here in NH.
I’d be a lot more proud of John Glenn if he wasn’t a damn Democrat.
There was a Mercury capsule on my best friend's birthday cake at one party I went to.
Sigh.
The only good thing about living a long time is the pricks that you outlived are dead.
The bad part is, so are a lot of friends and heros.
/johnny
me too
I was in 1st grade
He was a hero when I was a small boy. Too bad he became a total dork and kneepadder when krinton rallied the RATs to his defense. I called his office and told them as much. They asked if I lived in his district. When I told them no, they hung up.
Some clarification: Shepard and Grissom went into space but didn’t acheice orbit, that fell to Glenn. Perhaps that is what she was talking about.
“Shepard and Grissom went into space but didn’t acheice orbit”
I hate it when that happens...
John Glenn is my relative. Even though he was a Democrat, I am still proud of him.
Have you ever met him?
Uhh, no, that's not what it says. The first American to orbit the Earth... which is true.
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