MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Astronauts? Here? HOLY S!&@T
Today, in an unexpected USO tour, I got to meet one of my childhood heroes.
Neil Armstrong. As in the first man on the moon.
Also travelling with him were the following aviation legends:
Gene Cernan, the last man on the moon. Another Naval Aviator
Jim Lovell, the man who Tom Hanks played in the movie Apollo 13
General Steve Ritchie, the last USAF Fighter Ace (5 MiG-21 kills in Vietnam flying F-4s)
Bob Gilliand, the SR-71 Blackbird/A-12 Oxcart test pilot. Has more time above Mach 2 than any other person in the world.
There was a nice "for the troops" in the hangar bay, and then we had a more or less private group for all the pilots in CVIC. The former astronauts were VERY frank about how the space program is being mismanaged, and is not going towards a goal, and how we, as a nation need a goal, and that some other members of our generation need to stop being such pussies.
Oh, and the look on Gene Cernan's face when someone asked about Buzz Aldrin being on "Dancing with the Stars" was EPIC.
If only we could have had that same meeting a the O-Club or any other aviation bar in the world.. Holyfuckingshit.
Pictures to follow when I get a chance to upload them.
Today, in an unexpected USO tour, I got to meet one of my childhood heroes.
Neil Armstrong. As in the first man on the moon.
Also travelling with him were the following aviation legends:
Gene Cernan, the last man on the moon. Another Naval Aviator
Jim Lovell, the man who Tom Hanks played in the movie Apollo 13
General Steve Ritchie, the last USAF Fighter Ace (5 MiG-21 kills in Vietnam flying F-4s)
Bob Gilliand, the SR-71 Blackbird/A-12 Oxcart test pilot. Has more time above Mach 2 than any other person in the world.
There was a nice "for the troops" in the hangar bay, and then we had a more or less private group for all the pilots in CVIC. The former astronauts were VERY frank about how the space program is being mismanaged, and is not going towards a goal, and how we, as a nation need a goal, and that some other members of our generation need to stop being such pussies.
Oh, and the look on Gene Cernan's face when someone asked about Buzz Aldrin being on "Dancing with the Stars" was EPIC.
If only we could have had that same meeting a the O-Club or any other aviation bar in the world.. Holyfuckingshit.
Pictures to follow when I get a chance to upload them.