Thursday October 10, 2013

R H Scott's Forest Gump moment: Tonight on the news I heard that Astronaut Scott Carpenter had passed away. Navy Commander Carpenter made one space flight in May of 1962. He orbited the earth 3 times. I immediately thought that Ensign R H Scott was involved in the pick up of the Mercury Space Capsule. I was wrong. Carpenter landed in the Atlantic. I did further research and found that in October 1962 another Mercury capsule was launched and this flight was commanded by Navy Pilot Wally Schirra. The Sigma 7 spacecraft orbited the earth 6 times. The landing was near perfect. Astronaut Schirra did not have to exit the capsule but instead the Aircraft Carrier Kearsarge hoisted the capsule up to the flight deck and then Schirra exited the capsule. The Kearsarge was near the US Navy Base at Midway Island. Midway dispatched a tug to the Kearsarge and the capsule was loaded on the tug. When the tug reached Midway, Ensign RH Scott and his crack Seabee Team using a mobile crane unloaded the capsule and put it on one of our low boys for transfer to a waiting aircraft. The unloading, moving and loading of the capsule went without a hitch. This was a big event on Midway. Our team of Seabees were dressed in their dress whites and really showed a lot of spit and polish in making this move. The island was loaded with news folks and some of the guys thought maybe we would make Life magazine. No such luck. Anyway I was there 51 years ago. Today was another nice fall day. The weather was perfect. I slept in until 0715. Nancy is still under the weather so she did not go to the MAC. I was in the pool at 0815. My swim time today was 1 minute slower that normal. I don't know why. After the MAC I headed to the Starbucks in Gaslight Village for my morning coffee. I could not dawdle because the furnace man is coming some time after noon. I was home at noon. I had a quick lunch and then got out the trimmer and started trimming the grass. I want to get this work done because tomorrow I have to cut the grass. I want to be done with my chores before my sister comes in the afternoon. I was almost done when the furnace man arrived. He checked out the furnace and informed me that we need a new furnace. The existing furnace is 23 years old. The furnace man detected high levels of CO. Not a good thing. The sales man is coming tomorrow. In the past 12 months we have replaced our washer, hot water heater and now our furnace. Nancy and I had dinner tonight at Great Lakes Shipping. Not much on TV so I am going to bed early. Tomorrow I get up at 0455 so I can get in the pool before the old folks. I also have to cut the grass and get ready for my Sister' visit.