Hell, he took a nap during the countdown!
Go, Hotdog, GO!
Well done, Gordo. Enjoy that final ride.
I'm still looking at him, from afar. Godspeed, Gordo.
So long Gordo! Godspeed!
Who were the original seven: Cooper, Grissom, Shepard, Schirra, Glenn, Carpenter, and ??
Deke Slayton?
sorry for the obigatory joke in advance
4 of the Mercury 7 have now slipped the surly bonds of Earth and touched the face of God.
Gus Grissom -- 1926 - 1967
Deke Slatyon -- 1924 - 1993
Alan Shepard -- 1923 - 1998
Gordon Cooper -- 1927 - 2004
I live in Mr. Cooper's birthplace, where the local vo-tech is named for him.
RIP to a great American.
Gordo was the right stuff. The ziggurat was his.
Red
I was about 9 when he flew and lived in Edmond Oklahoma. A friend of mine went to Shawnee to see Gordo's homecoming parade after his flight. He got to shake his hand, and afterward said he'd "never wash his hands again".
We built home made model rockets together. Mixed the gunpowder at home.
What a time.
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He proceeds to peel out, tear through Patrick AFB, and hit the road at high speed. Once on the highway, the driver turns to Gene and says, "Hi, I'm Gordon Cooper".
Godspeed, Gordo.
Every time an old astronaut passes on, this young man (with childhood memories of their achievements) feels a little older.
Some years after this picture, I flew in this very F-106 (90158) on a training mission "shooting down" other 6's.
At the time I flew in #158 I didn't know it was such a famous fighter!
bump
I guess it got lost in the focus on the Veep's debate and Rodney Dangerfield's passing. I saw the headline this AM and, to borrow a phrase, was deeply saddened - but this time those words have actual meaning. Like others, I just saw the replay of "From The Earth To The Moon" so this really hit home.
Godspeed, Gordo.
