Return Of A Hero. Major l. Gordon Cooper returns from space.
Return Of A Hero. Major l. Gordon Cooper returns from space.
Return Of A Hero. The crew of the Kearsarge goes into action off Midway Island in the Pacific for the return of a hero, Major l. Gordon Cooper. Frogmen attach flotation gear to the 'Faith 7' and the major is hauled aboard, ending a 600,000 22-orbit, 34-hour flight in space. Electrical difficulties during the 19th orbit forced Cooper to take over control of the capsule during re-entry. With the help of Colonel John Glenn he landed 'right in the pickle barrel', 7,000 yards from the Kearsarge. He had medical checks as the carrier steams to Honolulu where he is flown to Hickman field where he lived as a college youth. There his wife and daughters greet him and he has the first of a series of parades. Then on to Cape Canaveral where more cheers and more parading precedes a news conference where he outlines his experiences during his long flight. The free world is proud of the great achievement of Major Leroy Gordon Cooper - a man who wrote history! Hawaii and Florida The crew of the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge scrambling towards their helicopters. MCUS - Co-pilot on one of the helicopter giving a thumbs up. MSOH - The flight deck of the USS Kearsarge there's a helicopter off the flight deck of the ship. MS - Military personal watching the decent of Faith 7 on the portside of the USS Kearsarge . MLS - A little white dot, that's Faith 7 coming down to earth. the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge jammed pack with sailors. MS - Frogmen in the water with helicopters flying over them. MS - The deck of the Kearsarge with anxiously awaiting sailors. OHS - USS Kearsarge. MCUS - Faith 7 being lifted out of the water, sailors are assisting in a dingy or life boat. MCUS - The Faith 7 capsule being lowered on to the deck of the USS Kearsarge MCUS - The doors of the capsule are blown off and Major Cooper is helped out. MCUS - Major Gordon Cooper walking on the deck of the ship. CUS - Major Cooper drinking a glass of juice to fight his dehydration MS - Major Cooper eating a steak dinner with other high ranking naval officers. MS - Throngs on the shores of Hawaii awaiting the arrival of Major Cooper. MCUS - Major Cooper disembarking from a plant and smiling at his wife and two daughters who eagerly await his arrival. CUS - Major Cooper's wife places a lei around his neck and so does his two daughters MS - Motorcade parade welcoming Major Cooper. CUS - Motorcade parade in Florida. MCUS - Press conference. Major Cooper, "Well I waited quite a long while for this flight and I was very impressed with it. I think anybody who goes up on his space flight and says that he wasn't impressed, there must be something wrong with him. But I was not overly concerned for my safety and I had every confidence that I could get it back fine. We checked, checked and doubled checked and all of our engineers and all the McDonnell people had done a real good job on this capsule. And it was in good shape and all the systems worked beautifully and it made it through a routine flight. It was routine in that respect just like it was advertised"