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OT: Frank Borman Dead at 95

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RUhasarrived

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May 7, 2007
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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..............."
 
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mdk02

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Aug 18, 2011
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Saw him speak to a small group a couple of times. Unsurprisingly very bright and media savvy.
 
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RU_DIO

Heisman
Sep 1, 2002
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RUhasarrived said:
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..............."
Click to expand...
Have you ever considered creating a Death Blog? You're infatuated with posting about dead people.
 
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ashokan

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May 3, 2011
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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.


He was CEO of Eastern after NASA


 
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mdk02

Heisman
Aug 18, 2011
26,100
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ashokan said:
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.


He was CEO of Eastern after NASA


Click to expand...

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.
 
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rudad02

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Nov 7, 2010
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RUhasarrived said:
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..............."
Click to expand...
Al Hirt, what a trumpeter!
 
R

RU4Real

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
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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.
 
e5fdny

e5fdny

Heisman
Nov 11, 2002
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mdk01 said:
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.
Click to expand...
Maybe Lightweight or Sprint?
 
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4IUSox2

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Feb 5, 2003
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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.
 
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ashokan

Heisman
May 3, 2011
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4IUSox2 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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
 
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mdk02

Heisman
Aug 18, 2011
26,100
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ashokan said:
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
Click to expand...

Well portrayed in "The Right Stuff".
 
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