1
00:00:06,389 --> 00:00:03,270
alan shepard was a probably

2
00:00:08,150 --> 00:00:06,399
class one astronaut he was bright family

3
00:00:11,110 --> 00:00:08,160
was important to him he was really a

4
00:00:13,190 --> 00:00:11,120
wonderful human being he was proud man

5
00:00:15,509 --> 00:00:13,200
sometimes arrogant but

6
00:00:17,029 --> 00:00:15,519
testifieds are always that way you want

7
00:00:19,269 --> 00:00:17,039
him to be that way it's the first step

8
00:00:21,029 --> 00:00:19,279
we had to make and he did it well when

9
00:00:31,669 --> 00:00:21,039
you talk about the right stuff he was

10
00:00:36,150 --> 00:00:34,150
i remember my father saying when the

11
00:00:38,150 --> 00:00:36,160
original seven astronauts were first

12
00:00:40,470 --> 00:00:38,160
chosen was that

13
00:00:44,069 --> 00:00:40,480
they were very competent

14
00:00:47,190 --> 00:00:44,079
very competitive and it was going to be

15
00:00:50,150 --> 00:00:47,200
a good fight to win the prize as they

16
00:00:52,069 --> 00:00:50,160
called it it was friendly competition

17
00:00:54,229 --> 00:00:52,079
but was intense competition i certainly

18
00:00:55,910 --> 00:00:54,239
wouldn't deny that he was very confident

19
00:00:58,470 --> 00:00:55,920
in what he could do

20
00:01:01,110 --> 00:00:58,480
and he pushed himself he he really did

21
00:01:04,229 --> 00:01:01,120
go beyond what he could possibly do i

22
00:01:07,270 --> 00:01:04,239
mean he just did that extra 101

23
00:01:09,590 --> 00:01:07,280
shepherd was a standout

24
00:01:11,670 --> 00:01:09,600
from the very beginning for me he was a

25
00:01:14,149 --> 00:01:11,680
very bright

26
00:01:16,310 --> 00:01:14,159
guy probably the brightest to the bunch

27
00:01:19,190 --> 00:01:16,320
glenn of course i had known before

28
00:01:21,910 --> 00:01:19,200
shirai had known before because of our

29
00:01:23,429 --> 00:01:21,920
of our navy connections

30
00:01:25,350 --> 00:01:23,439
so i knew there was a lot of talent

31
00:01:27,109 --> 00:01:25,360
there and

32
00:01:29,510 --> 00:01:27,119
i knew that uh

33
00:01:32,469 --> 00:01:29,520
it was going to be a tough fight

34
00:01:34,310 --> 00:01:32,479
to win the prize all seven astronauts

35
00:01:37,429 --> 00:01:34,320
were in one room

36
00:01:39,030 --> 00:01:37,439
uh bob gilruth came in and said okay al

37
00:01:40,870 --> 00:01:39,040
shepard you have the first one gus

38
00:01:43,350 --> 00:01:40,880
grissom you have the second john glenn

39
00:01:45,270 --> 00:01:43,360
you are the backup for both

40
00:01:47,350 --> 00:01:45,280
and dr gilruth walked out of the room

41
00:01:49,830 --> 00:01:47,360
and said good luck and so daddy's in the

42
00:01:52,230 --> 00:01:49,840
room by himself with all seven original

43
00:01:54,389 --> 00:01:52,240
well including himself six

44
00:01:57,190 --> 00:01:54,399
set of eyes looking at him

45
00:01:59,030 --> 00:01:57,200
and he thought how elated he was but he

46
00:02:01,670 --> 00:01:59,040
had almost immediately afterwards

47
00:02:03,429 --> 00:02:01,680
feeling sorry for my buddies

48
00:02:06,870 --> 00:02:03,439
because there they were i mean they were

49
00:02:09,749 --> 00:02:06,880
trying just as hard as i was

50
00:02:12,070 --> 00:02:09,759
we all shook each other's hands

51
00:02:13,990 --> 00:02:12,080
we all shook al's hands

52
00:02:15,270 --> 00:02:14,000
pretty soon i was the only guy left in

53
00:02:18,550 --> 00:02:15,280
the room

54
00:02:21,270 --> 00:02:18,560
we jokingly later on

55
00:02:22,470 --> 00:02:21,280
uh confided in each other that

56
00:02:27,990 --> 00:02:22,480
the choice

57
00:02:29,589 --> 00:02:28,000
al shepard was just plain dumb because

58
00:02:33,190 --> 00:02:29,599
because it should have been

59
00:02:34,790 --> 00:02:33,200
me everybody said the competition ended

60
00:02:36,790 --> 00:02:34,800
once that decision was made and

61
00:02:38,390 --> 00:02:36,800
everybody wanted to make every flight an

62
00:02:40,869 --> 00:02:38,400
absolute success

63
00:02:42,309 --> 00:02:40,879
he was obviously

64
00:02:46,470 --> 00:02:42,319
ready to fly

65
00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,270
and

66
00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:55,110
it was a hell of a day

67
00:02:59,350 --> 00:02:56,790
daddy what if they put you up in that

68
00:03:01,270 --> 00:02:59,360
rocket and they can't get you back down

69
00:03:03,110 --> 00:03:01,280
and he said julie they're not going to

70
00:03:07,350 --> 00:03:03,120
put me up in that rocket if they can't

71
00:03:12,949 --> 00:03:09,589
on may 5

72
00:03:14,229 --> 00:03:12,959
the atmosphere at the cape was

73
00:03:16,949 --> 00:03:14,239
upbeat

74
00:03:20,229 --> 00:03:16,959
a little subdued especially

75
00:03:21,910 --> 00:03:20,239
for al because yuri gagarin had

76
00:03:24,070 --> 00:03:21,920
had flown before

77
00:03:29,830 --> 00:03:24,080
that was sort of the

78
00:03:32,789 --> 00:03:30,830
but

79
00:03:34,070 --> 00:03:32,799
nevertheless

80
00:03:36,229 --> 00:03:34,080
the day came

81
00:03:39,110 --> 00:03:36,239
our entire front yard in virginia beach

82
00:03:41,270 --> 00:03:39,120
is covered with reporters alice came in

83
00:03:42,949 --> 00:03:41,280
and woke me up and she says

84
00:03:44,630 --> 00:03:42,959
julie mother must have done something

85
00:03:46,710 --> 00:03:44,640
they're all these policemen out in our

86
00:03:49,030 --> 00:03:46,720
front yard they didn't tell us our

87
00:03:50,869 --> 00:03:49,040
father was going up first because we

88
00:03:52,630 --> 00:03:50,879
would blab it everything went just the

89
00:03:54,550 --> 00:03:52,640
way we had planned it his

90
00:03:57,509 --> 00:03:54,560
the testing of the suit putting that on

91
00:03:59,429 --> 00:03:57,519
first there was a classic picture of him

92
00:04:01,509 --> 00:03:59,439
when he reached the launch pad it was

93
00:04:04,070 --> 00:04:01,519
accompanied by dr bill douglas who was

94
00:04:05,670 --> 00:04:04,080
the astronauts physician it was all in a

95
00:04:07,910 --> 00:04:05,680
silver space suit

96
00:04:08,789 --> 00:04:07,920
with the with the air conditioner in his

97
00:04:12,070 --> 00:04:08,799
hand

98
00:04:15,429 --> 00:04:12,080
i remember saying to myself well

99
00:04:16,550 --> 00:04:15,439
i'm not going to see this redstone again

100
00:04:19,670 --> 00:04:16,560
and you know

101
00:04:21,509 --> 00:04:19,680
pilots love to go out and kick the tires

102
00:04:23,510 --> 00:04:21,519
and it was sort of like

103
00:04:25,590 --> 00:04:23,520
reaching out and kicking the tires on

104
00:04:28,150 --> 00:04:25,600
the redstone because i stopped and

105
00:04:29,749 --> 00:04:28,160
looked at you know looked back and end

106
00:04:33,430 --> 00:04:29,759
up

107
00:04:35,749 --> 00:04:33,440
at this beautiful rocket and uh well

108
00:04:37,990 --> 00:04:35,759
okay buster let's go and get the job

109
00:04:41,189 --> 00:04:38,000
done what a sight

110
00:04:41,199 --> 00:04:43,990
it was that was

111
00:04:54,830 --> 00:04:45,430
probably one of the most exciting

112
00:05:00,790 --> 00:04:57,830
exciting almost every flight has delays

113
00:05:03,749 --> 00:05:00,800
you expect them there was a time during

114
00:05:05,909 --> 00:05:03,759
the countdown when

115
00:05:07,350 --> 00:05:05,919
there was a problem with the inverter in

116
00:05:08,950 --> 00:05:07,360
the redstone

117
00:05:10,629 --> 00:05:08,960
and then the weather came

118
00:05:12,950 --> 00:05:10,639
turns out al shepard had been in that

119
00:05:16,870 --> 00:05:12,960
spacecraft for more than four hours

120
00:05:18,390 --> 00:05:16,880
waited and waited well um

121
00:05:21,510 --> 00:05:18,400
if that's the case then i would like to

122
00:05:23,749 --> 00:05:21,520
not relieve myself that was funny

123
00:05:26,150 --> 00:05:23,759
you want to get out urinate vampiran

124
00:05:27,909 --> 00:05:26,160
says the astronaut will stay in the nose

125
00:05:30,710 --> 00:05:27,919
cone

126
00:05:33,510 --> 00:05:30,720
you just go ahead and do it

127
00:05:34,230 --> 00:05:33,520
and of course with a cotton undergarment

128
00:05:36,790 --> 00:05:34,240
and

129
00:05:39,189 --> 00:05:36,800
with 100 oxygen

130
00:05:41,510 --> 00:05:39,199
flowing through that spacecraft

131
00:05:44,710 --> 00:05:41,520
uh it was i was totally dry by the time

132
00:05:49,990 --> 00:05:48,230
t minus 10 9 8 7

133
00:05:50,950 --> 00:05:50,000
6 5

134
00:05:52,070 --> 00:05:50,960
4

135
00:05:53,110 --> 00:05:52,080
three

136
00:05:54,230 --> 00:05:53,120
two

137
00:05:55,909 --> 00:05:54,240
one

138
00:05:59,110 --> 00:05:55,919
zero

139
00:06:13,830 --> 00:06:00,790
liftoff

140
00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:17,430
launch is okay

141
00:06:20,870 --> 00:06:18,550
roger

142
00:06:23,710 --> 00:06:20,880
his performance is perfect velocity's

143
00:06:26,550 --> 00:06:23,720
okay pitch one eight degrees i'll be at

144
00:06:29,670 --> 00:06:26,560
365 valve

145
00:06:32,950 --> 00:06:29,680
roger 2g kevin holy

146
00:06:34,390 --> 00:06:32,960
freedom 7 is still go the trajectory

147
00:06:36,230 --> 00:06:34,400
you couldn't have told

148
00:06:37,670 --> 00:06:36,240
the difference between the flight and

149
00:06:39,830 --> 00:06:37,680
the simulation

150
00:06:41,990 --> 00:06:39,840
freedom 7 with astronaut alan b shepard

151
00:06:43,590 --> 00:06:42,000
reports the fuel system is go

152
00:06:46,629 --> 00:06:43,600
4g

153
00:06:49,270 --> 00:06:46,639
cabin 5.5 pounds per square inch oxygen

154
00:06:51,110 --> 00:06:49,280
go all systems go

155
00:06:52,469 --> 00:06:51,120
capsule separate

156
00:06:54,070 --> 00:06:52,479
great command

157
00:06:57,670 --> 00:06:54,080
pilot on manual

158
00:06:59,430 --> 00:06:57,680
drawing right his control motions

159
00:07:01,430 --> 00:06:59,440
that he did in flight compared to what

160
00:07:03,270 --> 00:07:01,440
he did at the simulator

161
00:07:05,029 --> 00:07:03,280
right on top of each other

162
00:07:06,309 --> 00:07:05,039
astronaut alan b shepard is still

163
00:07:08,629 --> 00:07:06,319
talking to us

164
00:07:11,029 --> 00:07:08,639
working like a test pilot reporting

165
00:07:13,270 --> 00:07:11,039
facts and figures reporting procedures

166
00:07:22,309 --> 00:07:13,280
in the precise engineering manner of a

167
00:07:27,510 --> 00:07:25,110
all the voice reports were right on at

168
00:07:29,749 --> 00:07:27,520
the same time you expected them okay

169
00:07:31,589 --> 00:07:29,759
retrofire completed the mercury

170
00:07:37,510 --> 00:07:31,599
spacecraft is beginning to re-enter the

171
00:07:43,350 --> 00:07:41,350
right he's just starting now 50 seconds

172
00:07:46,550 --> 00:07:43,360
going through big g now he is still

173
00:08:02,790 --> 00:07:46,560
talking saying okay

174
00:08:04,869 --> 00:08:03,670
okay

175
00:08:05,589 --> 00:08:04,879
very good

176
00:08:07,670 --> 00:08:05,599
the

177
00:08:09,430 --> 00:08:07,680
shepherd recovery operation was probably

178
00:08:11,830 --> 00:08:09,440
one of the smoothest

179
00:08:15,270 --> 00:08:11,840
and one of the quickest we've ever had

180
00:08:17,350 --> 00:08:15,280
you just hit the water a moment ago

181
00:08:18,950 --> 00:08:17,360
a chair went up from the ship company

182
00:08:20,950 --> 00:08:18,960
watching here from all decks on the

183
00:08:23,189 --> 00:08:20,960
aircraft carrier

184
00:08:27,350 --> 00:08:23,199
it was a perfect day

185
00:08:28,790 --> 00:08:27,360
perfect day for him perfect day for us

186
00:08:30,629 --> 00:08:28,800
first time we ever put anybody into

187
00:08:32,630 --> 00:08:30,639
space and i was a good person to

188
00:08:35,190 --> 00:08:32,640
represent us on that

189
00:08:36,709 --> 00:08:35,200
he was outstanding

190
00:08:39,909 --> 00:08:36,719
and he

191
00:08:42,149 --> 00:08:39,919
he deserved it we're always proud of him

192
00:08:44,389 --> 00:08:42,159
and his abilities and what he did do i

193
00:08:47,829 --> 00:08:44,399
never heard my father say this is hard

194
00:08:50,550 --> 00:08:47,839
it was a challenge at least you tried

195
00:08:53,190 --> 00:08:50,560
who wouldn't want to follow that type of

196
00:08:57,590 --> 00:08:53,200
fellow american into whatever you are

197
00:09:01,990 --> 00:08:59,190
alan shepard

198
00:09:06,310 --> 00:09:02,000
was a close friend of mine

199
00:09:12,949 --> 00:09:10,070
and i was damn proud to be uh

200
00:09:15,269 --> 00:09:12,959
in that position with him