Shepherd was a probably class one
astronaut he was right
family was important to him is really a
wonderful human being he was proud man
sometimes arrogant but cast ballots are
always that way you want to be that way
so first step we had to make any dude
will when you talk about the right stuff
he was the epitome of the right stuff
I remember my father saying when the
original seven astronauts were first
chosen was that they were very confident
very competitive and it was going to be
a good fight to win the prize as they
called it it was friendly competition
but was intense competition I certainly
wouldn't deny that he was very confident
and what he could do and he pushed
himself he he really did go beyond what
he could possibly do what he just did
that extra hundred 1% Shepherd was a
standout from the very beginning / me he
was a very bright guy probably the bride
is to the punch glad of course i had
known before your ID number four because
of our of our Navy connections so I knew
there was a lot of talent there and I
knew that was going to be a tough fight
to to win the prize
all seven astronauts were in one room
Bob kill rules came in and said okay
I'll Shepherd you have the first one Gus
Grissom you have a second John Glenn you
are the backup for both and dr. Gilroy's
walk out the room and said good luck
it's a daddys in the room by himself
with all seven original well including
himself six set of eyes looking at him
and he thought of how elated he was but
he had almost immediately afterwards
feeling sorry for my buddies because
there they were when they were trying
just as hard as I was we all should each
other's hand LOL showgirls hands reason
I was the only guy left her home we
jokingly later on confided in each other
the choice
the choice of Al Shepard was just
playing dumb
that's because it should have been he
everybody said the competition ended
once that decision was made and
everybody want to make every flight and
absolute success he was obviously very
to fly and we were ready to help it and
it was a hell of a day
daddy what if they put you up on that
walk it and they can't get you back down
and he said Julie they're not going to
put me up in that rocket if they can't
get me back down i made five he had the
spirit the Cape was upbeat a little
subdued especially for l we could be
your girlfriend had before that was sort
of that cloud that was over our first
launch but nevertheless the day came our
entire front yard in virginia beach is
covered with reporters Alice came in and
woke me up and she says julie mother
must have done something they're all
these policemen out in our front yard
they didn't tell us our Father was going
up first because we would blab
everything went just the way we had
planted his the testing of a suit
putting that on first there was the
classic picture at the end when he
reached the launch pad is accompanied by
dr. bill Douglas was the astronauts
position was Alan silver space suit with
the with the air conditioner in his hand
I'm remember saying to myself well I'm
not going to see this redstone again and
you know pilots love to go out and kick
the tires and it was sort of like
reaching out and kicking the tires
hunter redstone and I stopped and look
at you
look back and and up at this beautiful
rocket and that well okay Buster let's
go and get the job done
what a sight and what a thrill it was
that was probably one of the most
exciting moments in my lifetime if not
be most exciting almost every flight has
delays to expect them there was a time
during the countdown when there was a
problem when the inverter in the
redstone and then whether Cape turns out
l separate have been in that spacecraft
for more than four hours waited and
waited
well of if that's the case that i would
like not renew myself that was funny
want to get out urinate Amon says the
astronauts would stay in the dough's
comb this is go ahead and do it but of
course with a cotton undergarment and
with a hundred percent oxygen flowing
through that spacecraft it was i was
totally driver the time we launched
t-minus ten and eight seven six five
four three two one ignition
which is okay performance perfect lost
is ok that's right degrees
obviously
Roger 227 you could've told the
difference between the flight and
simulation item 71 astronaut Alan B
Shepard reports the fuse at the Miz go
Kevin 5.5 pounds experience oxygen go
system to go rangers me Manuel join
right his control motions that he did in
flight compared to what he did in the
simulator right on top of each other
astronaut Alan B Shepard is still
talking to us working like a test pilot
reporting facts and figures reporting
procedures in the precise engineering
matter of a test pilot school
body for riding all the voice for
reports were right on at the same time
you'd expect them to retro are completed
the mercury spacecraft is beginning to
re-enter the Earth's atmosphere
starting now seconds 128g now he is
still talking saying okay
ok
very good the Shepherd recovery
operation was probably one of the
smoothest one of the quickest we've ever
had company walking their fall back on
the aircraft carrier this is a perfect
day perfect day for him every day for us
first time we ever put away into space
and I was a good person represents on
that is outstanding and he he deserved
it
we're always proud of him and his
abilities what he did do I never heard
my father say this is hard
it was a challenge at least you tried
who wouldn't want to follow that type of
fellow American into whatever you are
going to accomplish alan shepard was a
close friend of mine we have a lot of
love with each other and I was damn
proud to be in that position with him so
my guys through all of all the people in
massa
good
first around it doesn't have TV coverage
of the face and mind man got the black
up now you can start getting a TV
picture is still yet we are gay
qty all
family