Topic: Last time Mercury 7 astronauts were together
Tom Member
Posts: 1597 From: New York Registered: Nov 2000
posted 12-08-2016 05:42 PM
Is there a photo of the last time the Mercury 7 astronauts were together?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-08-2016 05:47 PM
I vaguely recall reading that the last time all seven were together was on March 3, 1966, for Charles Bassett's and Elliot See's funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.
I could be mistaken though, and I don't know if any photos show them together if that is indeed where they last met.
ColinBurgess Member
Posts: 2031 From: Sydney, Australia Registered: Sep 2003
posted 12-08-2016 06:14 PM
Elliot See and Charlie Bassett were both interred at Arlington on the same day, but several hours apart, and my records do not indicate that any of the Mercury astronauts were in attendance.
I believe the occasion you are trying to recall is the funeral of Ted Freeman, which was noted at the time as the only occasion — and the last ever — when the entire contingent of NASA astronauts (Freeman included) were assembled in the one place.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-08-2016 06:57 PM
Thanks Colin. My memory was clearer about it being a funeral than it was about whose internment it was.
Freeman's death came ten months after Glenn had left NASA (and three months after Carpenter was injured).