JOURNAL ARCHIVE: July 26, 2006
I was thinking last night about a memory featured prominently in my symbolic memory. It is of a time in 1985 when I was on the Taylor. It was during that same deployment when I watched the Estocin run aground in Key West. We were traveling along shoulder to shoulder with a Soviet battlegroup that was touring the oil pltform fields off the coast of Texas and Louisiana.
[JOURNAL ARCHIVE 26 July 2006 excerpt ends]
http://navysite.de/ffg/FFG15.HTM
USS Estocin (FFG 15)
Accidents aboard USS ESTOCIN:
Date Where Events
October 15, 1985 near Key West, Fla. USS ESTOCIN runs aground near Key West, Florida.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=37923
The American Presidency Project
Ronald Reagan
XL President of the United States: 1981 - 1989
Remarks at a Dinner Honoring Senator Russell B. Long of Louisiana
October 16, 1985
Ladies and gentlemen, one of the things I've been trying to figure out is why anyone as young as Russell Long would want to retire. [Laughter] Now, of course, that's only a cue for a story I want to tell you, because, you know, in my position anymore I have to be very careful of whether there is any ethnic note to any jokes that I tell, but I find that I can still tell jokes about people getting old. [Laughter] They know I'm not picking on anyone. So, this doesn't have any bearing on his being too young to retire.
But it is a story about an elderly couple who were getting ready for bed one night, and she said, "Oh, I just am so hungry for ice cream, and there isn't any in the house." And he said, "I'll get some." "Oh," she said, "you're a dear." And she said, "Vanilla with chocolate sauce." He says, "Vanilla with chocolate sauce." She says, "Write it down. Now, you'll forget, dear." He says, "I won't forget." She said, "With some whipped cream on top." And he said, "Vanilla with chocolate sauce, whipped cream on top." And she said, "And a cherry." And he said, "And a cherry on top." Well, she said, "Please write it down. I know you'll forget." And he said, "I won't forget. Vanilla with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry on top." And away he went. By the time he got back, she was already in bed, and he handed her the paper bag. She opened it and there was a ham sandwich. [Laughter] And she said, "I told you to write it down. You forgot the mustard." [Laughter]
But, ladies and gentlemen, I'm delighted that I could be here tonight to salute one of the most important presences in the United States Senate for, yes, over 36 years. There's one thing about being able to talk first, and before you all have dinner because then no one can—well, maybe I'm taking some material away from some others— [laughter] . But the simple facts about Russell Long are that he's the son of an American political legend. He ran a celebrated campaign for student body president at Louisiana State University. He earned four battle stars in his country's service in World War II; was elected in 1948 to the United States Senate, and that was the day before he turned 30; and he became one of the most powerful Senators in that body's history, including a committee chairmanship and a leadership post.
Now, these are the simple facts, but, you know, in a curious way, they don't really tell the whole story. You see, for those who really know Washington well, Russell Long is regarded as one of the most skillful legislators, compromisers, and legislative strategists in history. Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and many others who knew the Congress intimately fully appreciated the enormous weight and power that Russell Long wielded on Capitol Hill and the tremendous savvy that he brought to any legislative enterprise. For example, Senator Long is famed for his capacity to anticipate the truly critical moments in the legislative process. He was the one legislator who had his mind on the conference, one observer noted, when the others were worrying about the floor debate. Indeed, it's true that this son of a political legend has become a legend on his own.
Russell Long is not one of the truly important Senators of our time simply because he's a skillful statesman or was a fine political mind. He also has a great capacity for personal friendship and a warmth and candor that has won him many friends. For example—and I shouldn't be telling this until after the session is over—he used to ask, and I am quoting him, "What is a loophole?" [Laughter] And he answered, "That is something that benefits the other guy. If it benefits you, it's tax reform." [Laughter]
http://navysite.de/ffg/FFG15.HTM
USS Estocin (FFG 15)
About the Ship’s Name, about Captain John Michael Estocin:
Captain John Michael Estocin was born on April 27, 1931, at Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of State Teachers College at Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, he entered naval service as an aviation cadet in June 1954.
A Lieutenant Commander at the time, he was listed as "missing in action and presumed captured." He was subsequently promoted to Commander and then Captain before his status was changed on November 10, 1977, to "killed in action".
Captain Michael John Estocin, USN, was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy Commendation Medal and Air Medal (first through twelfth strike/flight awards).
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 20 and 26 April 1967 as a pilot in Attack Squadron 192, embarked in USS TICONDEROGA (CVA 14). Leading a 3-plane group of aircraft in support of a coordinated strike against 2 thermal power plants in Haiphong, North Vietnam, on 20 April 1967, Capt. Estocin provided continuous warnings to the strike group leaders of the surface-to air missile (SAM) threats, and personally neutralized 3 SAM sites. Although his aircraft was severely damaged by an exploding missile, he re-entered the target area and relentlessly prosecuted a SHRIKE attack in the face of intense antiaircraft fire. With less than 5 minutes of fuel remaining he departed the target area and commenced inflight refueling which continued for over 100 miles. 3 miles aft of TICONDEROGA, and without enough fuel for a second approach, he disengaged from the tanker and executed a precise approach to a fiery arrested landing. On 26 April 1967, in support of a coordinated strike against the vital fuel facilities in Haiphong, he led an attack on a threatening SAM site, during which his aircraft was seriously damaged by an exploding SAM; nevertheless, he regained control of his burning aircraft and courageously launched his SHRIKE missiles before departing the area. By his inspiring courage and unswerving devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Captain Estocin upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/alan-bean-first-artist-on-another-world-12086755/?no-ist
Smithsonian
Alan Bean: First Artist on Another World
Today is the 40th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, which carried Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins into history, as humans took their first steps on the moon. The National Air and Space Museum is celebrating this milestone with the opening of a new exhibition: "Alan Bean: Paint...
By Ashley Luthern
smithsonianmag.com
July 16, 2009
Alan Bean, now a professional artist, spent 18 years as an astronaut at NASA, where he flew in the Apollo 12 mission—becoming the fourth man to walk on the moon—and later commanded Skylab 3, spending 59 days in space. He creates his artwork using acrylics and adds texture with moon boots, his NASA hammer and pieces of his patches that still have a bit of moon dust on them.
Bean will sign copies of his book, Alan Bean: Painting Apollo, First Artist on Another World, today from 11 AM to 2 PM at the Air and Space Museum. The exhibit of the same title, featuring 50 of his paintings, is on display at the museum until January 13.
You have said that going to the moon doesn’t change a person, it reveals things that are already there. What did going to the moon reveal in you?
Well, it revealed this interest in art that I didn’t even know was this strong. I think it revealed for me, in that I think a lot of times you had feelings toward people and you’re afraid to say it because it might be embarrassing to you or they might reject you. I noticed that since I’ve been back from the moon, it’s given me more self-confidence. Other than that, I still like the same things, but I even like them more.
For instance, I like ice cream. I can remember when I got back from Skylab, it wasn’t the moon, but it was 59 days away. One of the first things I wanted to do was go down to a shopping center and get an ice cream cone and just watch people go by. Because I can remember looking down and saying 'There’s a lot of people down there and I can’t see any of them,' and 'I need an ice cream,' but I didn’t have one. The simpler things in life seemed to please me more.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075860/quotes
IMDb
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Quotes
Ronnie Neary: Roy, what did it look like?
Roy Neary: It was like an ice cream cone.
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1967-035A
NASA
Surveyor 3
NSSDC/COSPAR ID: 1967-035A
Mission Profile
Surveyor 3 was launched at 07:05:01 UT (2:05:01 a.m. EST) on 17 April 1967 on an Atlas-Centaur from complex 36B of the Eastern Test Range at Kennedy Space Center. After separation from the Atlas, the Centaur burned for approximately 5 minutes, putting the spacecraft into a 167 km circular Earth parking orbit. The Centaur was restarted 22 minutes, 9 seconds later, injecting the spacecraft into a selenographic trajectory. A midcourse maneuver 21.9 hrs after liftoff aimed the Surveyor towards the selected landing point. On 20 April at 00:01:06 UT, at 76 km altitude traveling at 2626 m/s, the vernier and main retrorocket were ignited by a signal from the altitude marking radar, slowing the spacecraft to 137 m/s at time of retro burnout and ejection. Descent continued under control of the vernier engines and the doppler and altimeter radars.
A few seconds before touchdown the radars lost lock, apparently due to high scintillating reflections from the landing site. The guidance system automatically switched to an inertially controlled mode which prevented vernier engine cutoff. Touchdown on the lunar surface occurred three times because the vernier engines continued to fire during the first two touchdowns causing the spacecraft to lift off the surface. The distance between the first and second touchdown sites was about 20 meters and between the second and third 11 meters. Engines were shut off 34 seconds after initial touchdown by an engine cutoff command transmitted from Earth. Initial touchdown occurred at 00:04:17 UT and final touchdown at 00:04:53 UT on 20 April 1967
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap990408.html
Astronomy Picture of the Day
April 8, 1999
Explanation: On April 20, 1967, NASA's robot spacecraft Surveyor 3 landed on the moon, touching down on the inside slope of a small lunar crater in the Ocean of Storms. Over 2 1/2 years later, on November 19, 1969, the lunar module Intrepid, piloted by Apollo 12 astronauts Pete Conrad and Alan Bean, flew overhead and landed nearby in the second visit by humans to the lunar surface. Intrepid touched down about 600 feet away and the moon walking astronauts were easily able to reach the Surveyor and examine the remote explorer that had preceded them. Intrepid is seen in the background of this striking high resolution picture of Surveyor 3. Surveyor's leftmost foot pad appears dug in while its foreground foot pad has made two distinct imprints in the powdery lunar soil - clear indications that the Surveyor slid and bounced on landing. Using bolt cutters, the astronauts removed Surveyor's TV camera (the cylinder shape at the right of the tall solar panel mast) and its sampling scoop (on the arm extended to the right), returning them to Earth for study.
http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/citations25.html
The United States Army
Medal of Honor
Vietnam (A - L Index), Full-Text Citations
*ESTOCIN, MICHAEL J.
Rank and organization. Captain (then Lt. Cmdr.), U.S. Navy, Attack Squadron 192, USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14). Place and date: Haiphong, North Vietnam, 20 and 26 April 1967. Entered service at: Akron Ohio, 2() July 1954. Born: 27 April 1931, Turtle Creek, Pa. Citation. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 20 and 26 April 1967 as a pilot in Attack Squadron 192, embarked in USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14). Leading a 3-plane group of aircraft in support of a coordinated strike against two thermal power plants in Haiphong, North Vietnam, on 20 April 1967, Capt. Estocin provided continuous warnings to the strike group leaders of the surface-to-air missile (SAM) threats, and personally neutralized 3 SAM sites. Although his aircraft was severely damaged by an exploding missile, he reentered the target area and relentlessly prosecuted a SHRIKE attack in the face of intense antiaircraft fire. With less than 5 minutes of fuel remaining he departed the target area and commenced in-flight refueling which continued for over 100 miles. Three miles aft of Ticonderoga, and without enough fuel for a second approach, he disengaged from the tanker and executed a precise approach to a fiery arrested landing. On 26 April 1967, in support of a coordinated strike against the vital fuel facilities in Haiphong, he led an attack on a threatening SAM site, during which his aircraft was seriously damaged by an exploding SAM; nevertheless, he regained control of his burning aircraft and courageously launched his SHRIKE missiles before departing the area. By his inspiring courage and unswerving devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Captain Estocin upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
- posted by H.V.O.M - Kerry Wayne Burgess 06:58 AM Pacific Time somewhere near Seattle Washington USA Friday 04 April 2014
