posted 05-21-2008 03:39 PM               

NASA Honors Apollo 13 Astronaut John Swigert

NASA will honor the late astronaut John "Jack" L. Swigert, Jr., with the presentation of an Ambassador of Exploration Award for his involvement in the U.S. space program. During a ceremony with Apollo 13 spacecraft commander James Lovell on Friday, May 23, Swigert's sister Virginia will accept the award at and present it for display to the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver, Colo. The award presentation will highlight the opening of the museum's new exhibit on Colorado's Astronauts.

NASA is giving the Ambassador of Exploration Award to the first generation of explorers in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs for realizing America's goal of going to the moon. The award is a moon rock encased in Lucite and mounted for public display. The rock is part of the 842 pounds of lunar samples collected during the six Apollo expeditions from 1969 to 1972.

Swigert was born in Denver and received a received a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado in 1953. Swigert was the command module pilot for the Apollo 13 mission. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 1982, but died the following month before taking office.

posted 07-05-2008 06:36 PM               

Scott gave the opening speech and he was so gracious and elegant in discussing space in general. I admire him greatly and think he is one of the best speakers among the guys.

Jim, after acknowledging all, opened his speech with "I want to set the record straight, Jack said 'Houston, we have a problem' first. There was a glitch in transmission and Houston asked to repeat and then I repeated Jack's words 'Houston, we have a problem.'"

He spoke about how Jack helped make the successful landing of Apollo 13. Jim related several humorous stories about Jack's adventurous spirit during their Apollo 13 after flight trip to several European countries. Jim had the audience roaring... it was so much fun to hear all.

There were a few shuttle astronauts there but they did not speak. The emphasis was on Scott and Jim.

posted 07-06-2008 12:09 PM               

I always knew that Scott Carpenter is a gifted speaker and Jim Lovell can deliver one liners with the best of them.

posted 07-09-2008 03:06 PM               

Or maybe there are others who have a special memory of Jack Swigert they would like to share. I'll start:

In 1982 while serving as a member of my hometown's Bicentennial Committee, I learned that Jack Swigert had lived a short distance from my house, had been a test pilot for Pratt & Whitney and a member of the CT Air National Guard. He also earned two Masters degrees while in CT: one in Science at Renslear Polytechnic and Business at the University of Hartford.

Well as far as I was concerned he was an adopted son of my hometown and I received the support of the Committee to invite him to one of our events planned for our Bicentennial Year, 1983. Sadly, he passed away in December, 1982.

On the 13th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 13 we held a tribute in his honor. While Jim Lovell and Fred Haise couldn't attend, (Jim Lovell did write me a letter to read to those attending) guests included friends of Swigert's from PWA as well as the Air Guard.

I painted a portrait that was unveiled that night and once I sent all of the photographs and newspaper clippings to his family I received a warm hand written note from Virginia Swigert.

posted 07-15-2008 12:58 PM               

1. the Wings over the Rockies Museum with Swigert's moonrock presentation etc.
   
2. Swigert's grave at Mt. Olivet cemetery in Wheat Ridge, a suburb in the west of Denver.