Ya-oryol - Ad Astra

Art by me

Extravehicular. 2019

Neil doodles

Cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin and Andrian Nikolayev, 1960s

Since I was out of town and couldn’t make a post on the 2nd, here’s a happy belated birthday to Charles “Pete” Conrad, Jr. (June 2, 1930 – July 8, 1999), one of my absolute favorite people in the entire world. Pete was a brilliant engineer, a naval aviator, test pilot, part of the second group of NASA astronauts, and the third human to walk on the moon.

He worked harder than most people can imagine to overcome the obstacles that stood in the way of his dreams, though you’d hardly notice because he did it all with a gap-toothed smile. I’ll never forget the sound of him laughing all the way into orbit during Apollo 12. I still miss him like hell and I wish I had had the chance to tell him in person that he’s my hero, but I take comfort in the fact that Petey had more fun in his short 69 years than most people could have in 100.

Happy birthday, Tweety. Love ya more than you know.

Veterans Day: New Nine Edition

Lieutenant Neil A. Armstrong, U.S. Navy (1949-1960)

Colonel Frank F. Borman II, U.S. Air Force (1950-1970)

Captain James A. Lovell, Jr., U.S. Navy (1952-1973)

Lieutenant General Thomas P. Stafford, U.S. Air Force (1952-1979)

Commander Elliot M. See, Jr., U.S. Navy Reserve (1953-1956)

Captain Charles Conrad, Jr., U.S. Navy (1953-1973)

Captain John W. Young, U.S. Navy (1952-1976)

Brigadier General James A. McDivitt, U.S. Air Force (1951-1972)

Lieutenant Colonel Edward H. White II, U.S. Air Force (1952-1967)

08/09/2021 Ferrari Store Milano (shouting crowd warning! Low the volume or set off the sound)

Autographed photos Roger Chaffee received from his fellow astronauts for his 29th birthday in February, 1964

(Text of each inscription below the cut)

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Taking a moment on this Memorial Day weekend to remember Major James Blair White, a U.S. Air Force pilot and the younger brother of NASA astronaut Ed White, who was killed in action during the Vietnam War.

Jim was a 1964 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, later earning a Masters degree in economics from Georgetown University. While serving in Vietnam, he flew with the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Takhli Airbase, Thailand. On November 24, 1969, Capt. White disappeared while flying a F-105D during a mission over the jungle-covered mountains of Laos. After three weeks, partial aircraft wreckage was discovered in the area but it could not be identified as the lost Thunderchief and there was no sign of Capt. White.

Jim was listed as Missing in Action on December 18, 1969, and remained MIA until 2017. Last year the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency officially identified Maj. White’s remains, and brought him home after nearly 50 years.