"HE COULD NOT SEE THE STARS, DID NOT EXPERIENCE WEIGHTLESSNESS & EARTH APPEARED B&W"

USA LAUNCHES ASTRONAUT INTO SPACE FROM CAPE CANAVERAL

Cape Canaveral, Florida (JFK+50) On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard, Jr.* was launched aboard the "Freedom 7" spacecraft from the National Aeronautics Space Complex here in Cape Canaveral becoming the first American in space. 

Shepard was launched atop a REDSTONE ROCKET**.  His suborbital flight lasted 15 minutes and traveled 116 miles into the atmosphere.  Because of the configuration of the porthole, the astronaut could not see the stars.  He also was strapped so tightly into the capsule he did not experience weightlessness.  Also, the filter in the window made the earth appear black and white.

Alan B. Shepard, Jr. was selected as one of 110 test pilots by NASA in 1959 for potential astronaut selection.  He made the final cut to become one of the MERCURY 7.  Shepard was presented with the Distinguished Service Medal by President John F. Kennedy on May 8, 1961

 *Alan B. Shepard, Jr. (1923-1998) was born in Derry, NH. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1944 & served in WWII. ABSJ graduated from the Naval War College in Newport, RI in 1957.  In 1978, President Jimmy Carter presented Shepard with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.

**The Redstone Rocket propelled Alan B. Shepard, Jr. and his Freedom 7 Mercury capsule into space.  Lift off was at 9:34 a.m.  The event was witnessed by 45 million television viewers including JFK & LBJ.

SOURCE

"Alan Shepard:  First American in Space," by Nola Taylor Redd, October 10, 2018, www.space.com

         JFK Pins Medal on Alan Shepard
              NASA Photo (May 8, 1961)

                

FREEDOM SEVEN BOOSTS AMERICA'S SPIRIT

JFK+50:  Volume 5, No. 1940

FIRST AMERICAN LAUNCHED INTO SPACE 55 YEARS AGO TODAY

Kennedy Space Center, Florida (JFK+50) Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr.* was launched aboard his Freedom 7 spacecraft from the National Aeronautics Launch Complex Five at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station fifty-five years ago today, May 5, 1961. Commander Shepard became the first American to fly in space.

Shepard, launched atop a REDSTONE ROCKET, completed a suborbital flight lasting fifteen minutes.   His spacecraft traveled 116 miles into the Earth's atmosphere.

On the 50th anniversary of the flight, Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana said...

"The flight of Freedom 7 boosted spirits throughout the country at a time when the U.S. appeared to be faltering in the quest for a viable space program."

The Soviet Union had beaten the USA into space by successfully sending into orbit cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961.  President John F. Kennedy was determined that his country would pull ahead of the Russians.  He said...

"America should not be first if, first but, first when, but first PERIOD!" 

Alan B. Shepard, Jr. was selected as one of 110 test pilots by NASA in 1959 for potential astronaut selection.  He made the final cut to become one of the MERCURY 7.

Commander Shepard was presented with the Distinguished Service Medal by President Kennedy on May 8, 1961. A decade later, Shepard, at age 47 the oldest astronaut at the time, returned to space as commander of APOLLO 14 and walked on the moon.

Alan B. Shepard, Jr. died after a two year battle with leukemia in Pebble Beach, California on July 21, 1998.  His wife, Louise, died 5 weeks later.  They are survived by 3 daughters and 6 grandchildren.


*Alan B. Shepard, Jr. (1923-1998) was born in Derry, NH to Lt. Col. ABS Sr. and Renza Shepard.  He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1944 and served in WWII.  Afterwards he earned his Naval Aviator wings.

Shepard graduated from the Naval War College in Newport, RI in 1957.  After his selection for the Man in Space program he was chosen to be the 1st American to go into space.

SOURCE

"NASA, Space Community Remembers 'Freedom 7," May 5, 2011, www.nasa.gov/

JFK Pins Medal on Alan Shepard

 NASA Photo (May 8, 1961)

                      

      

JFK PRESENTS COLLIER TROPHY TO MERCURY 7 ASTRONAUTS

October 10, 2013

JFK PRESENTED COLLIER TROPHY TO FIRST AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS 50 YEARS AGO 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy presented the Collier Trophy to the first American astronauts at the White House 50 years ago today, October 10, 1963.

The National Aeronautic Association and LOOK magazine awarded the Robert J. Collier* trophy each year to honor outstanding achievement in aviation.

Herbert Hoover Presents

Collier Trophy of 1929

The White House

NACA Photo

The trophy for 1963 was presented jointly to the original 7 man team of astronauts which included...

Lt. Comdr. M. Scott Carpenter
Maj. L. Gordon Cooper, Jr.
Lt. Col. John H. Glenn, Jr.
Maj. Virgil I. Grissom,
Comdr. Walter M. Schirra,Jr.
Comdr. Alan Shepard
Maj. Donald K. Slayton

Speaking at the ceremony for the NAA was Martin M. Decker, the association's president.  Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson and NASA Director James E. Webb also attended the event.

President Kennedy said...

"I think (this trophy) honors an extraordinary page in American history, as well as in the history of flight.  And I hope that this award...will be a stimulus...to (all) who will carry our flag to the moon and perhaps even someday beyond."

JFK concluded his remarks by saying...

"I am confident that when this job is done...we will have particular appreciation to the Americans who are here today, who led this effort.  So it is a great pleasure for me to present to them this celebrated award."

*Robert J. Collier (1876-1918), born in New York City,  became head of P.F. Collier and Son Publishing Company upon his father's death. He was a graduate of Georgetown University.  Collier died of a heart attack at age 42. 

SOURCE

"Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, John F. Kennedy, 1963," United States Government Printing Office, Washington, 1964.



NAVAL ACADEMY FOUNDED 168 YEARS AGO

Annapolis, Maryland (JFK+50) Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft** opened a naval school on the grounds of Fort Severn***, a former an Army post, here in Annapolis 168 years ago today, October 10, 1845.

     US Naval Academy (1853)

Assisting in both the founding of the institution and its' curriculum was Commodore Matthew C. Perry, a strong proponent of an apprentice system to train new seamen.

 The Naval School enrolled 50 students and employed 7 professors.

The curriculum for the midshipmen included math and navigation, gunnery and steam, chemistry, English, natural philosophy and French.

The course of study was to be completed in 5 years with the 1st and last years being at school while the other 3 would be service at sea.

The first class graduated in June 1854.***

**George Bancroft (1800-1891) was born in Worcester, Massachusetts & graduated from Harvard in 1817.  He earned his PhD from the University of Gottingen in Germany. 

Professor Bancroft published a multi-volume History of the United States (1834-1874). He served in President James K. Polk's cabinet as Secretary of the Navy (1845-46) and one month as Secretary of War.

                        George Bancroft
       Photo by Matthew Brady (1860)
             Library of Congress Image

***Fort Severn was built on the site of a Revolutionary War bastion in 1808 to guard the city of Annapolis against British attack.

The USNA used the fort for classrooms until it was demolished in 1909 and replaced with modern buildings.  In 1977, the DAR placed a marker at the site in honor of the original fort.

In 1850, the Naval School became the UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY. The following year the curriculum was altered to 4 years with training on ships in the summers.

JFK SPEAKS AT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY

Annapolis, Maryland (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy spoke at a ceremony held at Bancroft Hall honoring the new class of midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy on August 1, 1963.

The President, who was a Navy veteran, said:

"I want to express our strong hope that all of you who have come to the Academy as plebes will stay with the Navy.

I can imagine a no more rewarding career .

Any man who may be asked...what he did to make his life worthwhile...can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: 'I served in the United States Navy.'"

                  Graduating Class of 1894

            United States Naval Academy

                      Annapolis, Maryland****

****The USNA accepted women as midshipmen beginning in 1976.  Today women make up 14% of the plebe or 1st year class.  The young lady in the photo above is identified simply as "Mascot".

MERCURY 7 ASTRONAUTS POSED FOR GROUP PHOTO 50 YEARS AGO!

December 3, 2012

MERCURY 7 ASTRONAUTS POSED FOR GROUP PHOTO 50 YEARS AGO!

Akron, Ohio (JFK+50) On December 3, 1962, 50 years ago to the day, seven American astronauts posed for a group photograph dressed in their space suits here at the headquarters of B.F. Goodrich Corporation located in Akron, Ohio.*

B.F. Goodrich, no longer in existence, was the manufacturer of the space suits worn by the so called 'Mercury 7' & other American astronauts.

Each space suit weighed 20 pounds & was composed of 1600 individual pieces.

According to the John F. Kennedy Library, this "was the only occasion that all 7 appeared together in the suits."

The requirements for acceptance in the astronaut program included...

*under 40 years of age
*undergraduate college degree
*maximum of 5'11" in height
*maximum of 180 pounds in weight
*1500 flying hours
*qualified to fly jet aircraft

All 7 of the original Mercury astronauts were rated with IQs at the genius level & members from the group would be represented in the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo & Shuttle programs.

All 7 were military men.  3 from the USAF, 3 from the US NAVY & 1 from the USMC.

They were selected on April 9, 1959 & were introduced publicly the following day.

The 'Mercury 7' included:

Walter M. Schirra, Jr.
Donald K. "Deke" Slayton
John H. Glenn, Jr.
M. Scott Carpenter

Alan B. Shepard, Jr.
Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom
L. Gordon Cooper, Jr.**

*The photo caption from the JFK Library says that the photo was made at B.F. Goodrich.  JFK+50 is assuming the pic was made at the corporate HQ in Akron.  Please let us know if you have information that contradicts this.

**The astronauts are positioned in the photograph as follows.  1st 4 in Row 1 L to R, last 3 in Row 2 L to R.

                     Mercury Seven

                       NASA Photo

                        Dec 3, 1962

                JFK Library Image