OT: Frank Borman Dead at 95

[RUhasarrived]

The long time astronaut,one of three who circled the Moon 10 times during Christmas in 1968,has passed.

The vehicle,Apollo 8,carried Borman and his fellow astronauts,Jim Lovell and Bill Anders,as they offered live commentary to what the world was seeing.

A few weeks later they were at Super Bowl III,reading the Pledge of Allegiance before Al Hirt played the National Anthem.

That sight led Jets' radio announcer Merle Harmon to speculate the astronauts' planning of their itinerary :"When we get back from the Moon,we'll go to the football game.When we get back from the Moon..............."

 

[mdk01]

Saw him speak to a small group a couple of times. Unsurprisingly very bright and media savvy.

 

[RU_DIO]

The long time astronaut,one of three who circled the Moon 10 times during Christmas in 1968,has passed.

The vehicle,Apollo 8,carried Borman and his fellow astronauts,Jim Lovell and Bill Anders,as they offered live commentary to what the world was seeing.

A few weeks later they were at Super Bowl III,reading the Pledge of Allegiance before Al Hirt played the National Anthem.

That sight led Jets' radio announcer Merle Harmon to speculate the astronauts' planning of their itinerary :"When we get back from the Moon,we'll go to the football game.When we get back from the Moon..............."

Have you ever considered creating a Death Blog? You're infatuated with posting about dead people.

 

[ashokan]

West Point grad but then appointed to new AIr Force (but prior to academy completion).
He tried playing football but wasn't cut-out for it and became manager
He was a fighter pilot by training but also a test pilot and a brainiac who taught.
He ruptured an ear drum diving in a plane while having a head cold.
While healing he became assistant professor of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics at West Point.
When astronauts were chosen they wanted stout pilots who were also engineers


"Right now, in the beginning, we are picking experienced test pilots, not because they are fighter pilots, but because they have experience in dealing with new machines, unusual situations, being scared to death yet reacting properly. We're not saying for a minute that no one except test pilots has this experience. But this group also has the engineering background that we're looking for to get our programs started.

— Gus Grissom, February 1963

The five minimum selection criteria were that an applicant:

was an experienced test pilot, with 1,500 hours test pilot flying time, who had graduated from a military test pilot school, or had test pilot experience with NASA or the aircraft industry;
had flown high-performance jet aircraft;
had earned a degree in engineering or the physical or biological sciences;
was a U.S. citizen, under 35 years of age, and 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) or less in height; and
was recommended by their employer.

NASA Astronaut Group 2 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

He was CEO of Eastern after NASA

 

[angmo]

RIP legend.

 

[Section124]

RIP. I recall him in the Eastern Airlines commercials.

 

[mdk01]

West Point grad but then appointed to new AIr Force (but prior to academy completion).
He tried playing football but wasn't cut-out for it and became manager
He was a fighter pilot by training but also a test pilot and a brainiac who taught.
He ruptured an ear drum diving in a plane while having a head cold.
While healing he became assistant professor of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics at West Point.
When astronauts were chosen they wanted stout pilots who were also engineers


"Right now, in the beginning, we are picking experienced test pilots, not because they are fighter pilots, but because they have experience in dealing with new machines, unusual situations, being scared to death yet reacting properly. We're not saying for a minute that no one except test pilots has this experience. But this group also has the engineering background that we're looking for to get our programs started.

— Gus Grissom, February 1963

The five minimum selection criteria were that an applicant:

was an experienced test pilot, with 1,500 hours test pilot flying time, who had graduated from a military test pilot school, or had test pilot experience with NASA or the aircraft industry;
had flown high-performance jet aircraft;
had earned a degree in engineering or the physical or biological sciences;
was a U.S. citizen, under 35 years of age, and 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) or less in height; and
was recommended by their employer.

NASA Astronaut Group 2 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

He was CEO of Eastern after NASA

The AFA didn't come into existence until '55 or '56. My uncle was West Point '54 but served in the AF.

At about 5'7" Borman didn't have a chance at football.

 

[PiscatawayMike]

RIP. I recall him in the Eastern Airlines commercials.

 

[rudad02]

The long time astronaut,one of three who circled the Moon 10 times during Christmas in 1968,has passed.

The vehicle,Apollo 8,carried Borman and his fellow astronauts,Jim Lovell and Bill Anders,as they offered live commentary to what the world was seeing.

A few weeks later they were at Super Bowl III,reading the Pledge of Allegiance before Al Hirt played the National Anthem.

That sight led Jets' radio announcer Merle Harmon to speculate the astronauts' planning of their itinerary :"When we get back from the Moon,we'll go to the football game.When we get back from the Moon..............."

Al Hirt, what a trumpeter!

 

[colbert17]

A real touching moment in US history. If these guys did this today I can only imagine the abuse they would have to endure when they returned.



I believe this video inspired the name Big Blue Marble for Earth.

 

[RU4Real]

Eastern was a good airline during Borman's tenure. Running a quality airline is hard and, IMO, a good indication of a man's character.

 

[RUScrew85]

RIP, American Hero.

 

[RUScrew85]

A real touching moment in US history. If these guys did this today I can only imagine the abuse they would have to endure when they returned.

View embedded media

I believe this video inspired the name Big Blue Marble for Earth.

That Earthrise picture is about the most Iconic ever taken.

 

[e5fdny]

The AFA didn't come into existence until '55 or '56. My uncle was West Point '54 but served in the AF.

At about 5'7" Borman didn't have a chance at football.

Maybe Lightweight or Sprint?

 

[RUTGERS95]

hero

reading the pledge too, love that

 

[4IUSox2]

Legend, for sure!! All those ‘50s and 60’s test pilots were absolute heroes!! Like me, he was born in Gary, IN. The Borman Expressway, a 25-30 mile stretch of road where Interstates 80 and 94 come together south of Chicago, thru NW Indiana, is some of the worst semi-truck traffic in the country…absolutely frightening at times!!!RIP!!

Jim Lovell is still alive and last I heard him, very sharp.

 

[mdk01]

Maybe Lightweight or Sprint?

Perhaps

 

[ashokan]

Legend, for sure!! All those ‘50s and 60’s test pilots were absolute heroes!! Like me, he was born in Gary, IN. The Borman Expressway, a 25-30 mile stretch of road where Interstates 80 and 94 come together south of Chicago, thru NW Indiana, is some of the worst semi-truck traffic in the country…absolutely frightening at times!!!RIP!!

Jim Lovell is still alive and last I heard him, very sharp.

I was too young for Vietnam, Beatles, Woodstock and most cultural stuff from 60s
But I grew-up on NASA, Star Trek, Lost in Space, Jeannie, 2001 ASO and such.
I never liked Little League and played no sports.
Kids playing street ball and pretending to be Mickey Mantle seemed weird to me.

But I really did look-up to the astronauts.
They were tough, smart and devout to one degree or another.
They were also kind of regular guys (SAs in general were middle class)
The best men knew to bowed their heads in reflection back then.
Not unrelated to facts like being able to leave keys in your car and no litter.
"Patriarchy" then meant if you swore in front of a lady the men would embarrass you with just a look.
Now the old ladies swear like sailors

 

[colbert17]

Jim Lovell is still alive

I know I've mentioned this before. In the movie Apollo 13, in the final scene as the astronauts get off the chopper onto the carrier's deck Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) exchanges salutes and a handshake with the ship's captain. The captain is played by the real Jim Lovell.

 

[RU from Jersey]

Those early astronauts truly had the right stuff.

 

[mdk01]

I was too young for Vietnam, Beatles, Woodstock and most cultural stuff from 60s
But I grew-up on NASA, Star Trek, Lost in Space, Jeannie, 2001 ASO and such.
I never liked Little League and played no sports.
Kids playing street ball and pretending to be Mickey Mantle seemed weird to me.

But I really did look-up to the astronauts.
They were tough, smart and devout to one degree or another.
They were also kind of regular guys (SAs in general were middle class)
The best men knew to bowed their heads in reflection back then.
Not unrelated to facts like being able to leave keys in your car and no litter.
"Patriarchy" then meant if you swore in front of a lady the men would embarrass you with just a look.
Now the old ladies swear like sailors

Well portrayed in "The Right Stuff".

 

[RUPete]

RIP. I recall him in the Eastern Airlines commercials.

Finally someone mentioned this. I thought I was going crazy remembering that connection.

 

[MadRU]

RIP