Heroes of Space - Astronauts Tell Of Epic Flight
Heroes of Space - Astronauts Tell Of Epic Flight
The return of the Conquering Heroes! There's a crowd at the Houston airport and of course their families - to meet and greet Astronauts James McDivitt and Spacewalker Ed White. It's a warm reunion that must send the two men orbiting once more. Following a brief meeting with their families the astronauts have a press conference on the flight of Gemini-4 and meet with President Lyndon Johnson who nominates them both for promotion to Lt. Colonel. MS - The plane that is carrying the astronauts James McDivitt and Spacewalker Ed White is taxing on the tarmac with the warm wishes of the people standing around for hours to greet them and welcome them home. CUS - Three Oriental children holding up a sign welcoming their hero's home. MS - Astronaut McDivitt's wife and children running up to greet their dad. MS - McDivitt hugs his wife and children and in the same shot Astronaut Ed White embraces his children and his wife walks into the reunion shortly, hugging each other. MS - James McDivitt and his family. children, wife, and his parents. Astronaut Ed White and his family, children, wife and his parents. MS - News photo journalists. MS - The Astronauts walking away from the crowd and their on their way to the space center. MS - At the Space Center, Astronauts McDivitt and White sit at a table on a raided platform. Question - Major White in relation to your walk in space would it been helpful to you to have a longer tether and from your experience do you think that man have any trouble working for longer periods of time? Major White - I think that's a good question. Yes, I would of liked to have a longer tether but more that that I would of like to have 10 times the supply of propellant for my maneuvering gun. And yes man I think that yes man will maneuver in space. I think quite a bit. I think what we really demonstrated is that man can go from point A to point B with some kind of aid such as a maneuvering unit that we had. People ask me if I feel exhilarated and I felt very thankful to been able to take part in this part and to represent the people up there. I don't know how to put it to you but I didn't feel any feeling of fear. I felt well trained for it. I felt completely natural out there. There are three things that I took along. I took a St. Christopher Medal, a Gold Cross and a Star of David. I took these things to express a little bit of great faith that I had. I had a great faith in the people, and the equipment that we were using for the mission. I had a great faith in myself and especially in Jim. And also a great faith in my own God. The reason I took these things is because I think this is the most important thing I had going for me on the flight. I thought that I couldn't take one for every religion there is in the country but the three that I had are the ones that I am most familiar with. Later President Johnson comes to the Space Center, with throngs in attendance. President Johnson will all his congratulation 's and take a lesions from Major White in the Space Maneuvering Gun. President Johnson has a surprise for Major McDivitt and White. He nominated them both for promotion to Lieutenant Colonels a tribute from the nation to the men who pushed back the frontiers of space.