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  Richard Gordon, Mercury and 'Next Nine'

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Author Topic:   Richard Gordon, Mercury and 'Next Nine'
mecca
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Posts: 36
From: Pittsburgh
Registered: Jan 2023

posted 01-30-2023 10:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mecca   Click Here to Email mecca     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Was Richard Gordon one of the 110 test pilots called to the Pentagon in February of 1959 for Project Mercury?

He was a class 19 graduate of Pax River. Wally Schirra, Pete Conrad, and Jim Lovell were all class 20 graduates. What, if anybody knows, is the reason he was not part of the Next Nine?

ColinBurgess
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Posts: 2140
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 01-30-2023 11:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ColinBurgess   Click Here to Email ColinBurgess     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
While conducting research for my book "Moon Bound" I interviewed Dick Gordon at a Spacefest gathering, and here's what he told me.
In February 1957 I was in Class 18 at Navy Test Pilot School along with Hal Crandall, who was a later finalist for the Mercury group of astronauts. This meant we were a year ahead of Pete Conrad and Jim Lovell — Wally Schirra was also in that class — and two years ahead of John Young, which means that much more experience. Wally, Pete, Jim and Bob Solliday from Class 20 were all selected to try out for the Mercury group, as was Hal Crandall, but I didn't get that particular tap on my shoulder, and I still don't know the reason. Therein lies the reason for my initial disappointment.

Anyway, back in the summer of '62, Pete Conrad and I were both in Fighter Squadron VF-96, which was the second F4 Phantom squadron on the West Coast. That year, the two of us were also involved in testing for the second NASA astronaut group. Of course Pete had earlier been under consideration for the Mercury group — which I knew about — and then we were both chosen to go to the School of Aviation Medicine down in San Antonio during the second group selection process. We both made the final group of 32, but in the end Pete was chosen, and I wasn't. Although I was obviously delighted for Pete, that was a real bitter pill for me to swallow.

Why didn't I make it? Once again I didn't know and wasn't given any reason. After the new astronaut group was announced by NASA, Pete and I had a long conversation about what it meant for both of us. I have to admit it had been probably been a bit of an ego trip for me back then, but when I missed out I was extremely bitter and even thought about resigning from the navy. With this in mind I went around to Boeing to see if I was interested in working for them, and also Rockwell. But then Pete and I had our conversation, which was interesting, because we agreed neither of us knew what the hell the future held for us, or what we'd gotten ourselves into.

I guess failures teach you more than anything else in life, and you grow up a little as a result, so I finally got over my disappointment. The interesting thing for me now was that VF-96 was shortly going to be deployed to the Far East with the Seventh Fleet on the [USS] Ranger and this had been part of our conversation on future prospects. We'd also been told there were indications another astronaut selection would take place the next year. So I swallowed my disappointment and waited to see what would happen next. Like they say, time heals all wounds.

As it turned out, I was selected in '63, but it wasn't until several years later, while at NASA, that I learned the reason I may have been rejected as unsuccessful the year before. It was all to do with a question mark about the curvature of my lower spine. During the early part of the selection process Jim Irwin and I were sent to see a specialist — an orthopedic surgeon. Now Jim had earlier been in a significant airplane accident and had been badly banged up, so that was understandable, but I was a little curious as to why I was there as well. I thought 'What the hell is this about?' but convinced myself it must be part of the medical evaluation, and of course back then you had to be 100 percent fit or you'd be rejected. As things turned out I was selected and Jim wasn't, at least not then anyway, but I was none the wiser.

So I guess that visit to the orthopedic surgeon cleared up the question mark on the curvature of my lower spine, as it never entered into any conversation from then on during the selection process. But I strongly believe that was the reason I wasn't selected in the second group along with my good buddy, Pete Conrad.

Skylon
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Posts: 319
From:
Registered: Sep 2010

posted 01-31-2023 08:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Skylon     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Just a guess about Dick Gordon, but for the Mercury selection the 110 pilots considered possibly eligible were split into three groups. When interest proved to be so high from the first two groups, the third was just never invited to be briefed on Mercury and NASA went ahead with evaluating those pilots.

Is it possible Dick Gordon, by poor luck of the draw was just in that third pile of names?

taneal1
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Posts: 274
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 03-06-2023 10:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for taneal1   Click Here to Email taneal1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was thinking the same thing — not all of the 110 selected were called. Other than a clerical error, there is one other possible explanation for Gordon's absence.

For the purpose of initial interviews, the 110 were split into three groups according to their qualifications. Group 1 included the most qualified candidates, Group 2 somewhat less qualified, and the remainder were placed into Group 3. Presumably, as a nod to the inherent danger involved, candidates with large families were moved into Group 3.

One notable exception was father of four, LT M. Scott Carpenter who was assigned to Group 1. (Insert heavy sigh of relief here from Mrs. Thomas Stoever for not being 25% of this potential issue.) For what it's worth, of the Original 7, only Grissom and Slayton were assigned to Group 2, and as noted Group 3 was not called.

If I recall correctly, Dick Gordon had six children, but I don't know how many he had in 1959. I'm sure someone here knows and will provide the answer.

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