RIP Tom Stafford

[mikeyd]

God speed

 

[bad_idea]

Saw him speak in late 2019, shortly after Alexi Leonov died. He and Leonov had become close friends during and after ASTP and remained so to the end. Gen. Stafford was very frail and bent and spoke just above a whisper, but his mind was still very sharp.

RIP

 

[Antares JS]

Stafford was only man to command an Apollo spacecraft twice - Apollo 10 and ASTP. He also previously flew with Wally Schirra on Gemini 6 and commanded Gemini 9.

He was also the last living crew member of Apollo 10.

The list of still living astronauts who flew an Apollo spacecraft:

Jim Lovell, CMP 8, CDR 13
Bill Anders, LMP 8
Dave Scott*, CMP 9, CDR 15
Rusty Schweickart, LMP 9
Buzz Aldrin*, LMP 11
Fred Haise, LMP 13
Charlie Duke*, LMP 16
Harrison Schmitt*, LMP 17
Joseph Kerwin, Science Pilot, Skylab 2
Jack Lousma, Pilot, Skylab 3
Edward Gibson, Science Pilot, Skylab 4
Vance Brand, CMP ASTP

* - walked on the moon

We are also down to three Gemini astronauts - Lovell, Scott, and Aldrin. Gemini 12 is the only pre-shuttle mission with all crew still living.

Godspeed, Tom Stafford.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Article at local OKC TV station web site.

https://kfor.com/news/local/general-thomas-stafford-dies-at-93/

We stopped at the museum in Weatherford a couple of years ago. It was actually Stafford's birthday. Just missed meeting him. Great museum for rocket stuff!

 

[Rob Campbell]

I had the pleasure of meeting General Stafford a year ago. He was a consultant to Lockheed-Martin and he was a member of the team that briefed the AFRL Munitions Directorate on their IRAD portfolio. He was still mentally sharp as a tack.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

I was just relating to my brother-in-law how these guys were able to keep there cool when things got sideways, or, in his case, topsy-turvy with the LM ascnt stage on Apollo 10.

God rest his soul; may he rise in glory and then we can all have a good chat with him!

 

[mikeyd]

My Mother in Law was from Weatherford and in High School just ahead of Tom a few years. She said he was a normal, energetic young man, just a bit mischievous.
https://www.staffordmuseum.org/

 

[wclaybaugh2]

Tom and Alexi had a hilarious act in which each would speak in the other’s language while the native speaker translated. Alexi’s English was far better than Tom’s Russian and although they were acting, they were also clearly having great fun.

I recall Tom talking about going to Russia for one of the Apollo Soyuz anniversaries and noting that Putin met them at the airport…something no American President had ever done. (There is a quasi-religious belief in space travel in Russia descending from the ideas of a mid-19th century mystic…nothing like it in any other country.)

Bill

 

[lakeroadster]

Much Respect. God Speed, Rest In Peace.

 

[Hobie1dog]

we need more people like him

 

[cwbullet]

RIP. He will be missed.

 

[Sparky]

It's always sad to loose a part of history. Especially history of flight by rocket. RIP.

 

[Antares JS]

Stafford was only man to command an Apollo spacecraft twice

I was thinking about this and realized I have to correct myself - Pete Conrad also commanded an Apollo spacecraft twice - Apollo 12 and Skylab 1.