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  Apollo-era astronaut's nuclear assignment?

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Author Topic:   Apollo-era astronaut's nuclear assignment?
Duke Of URL
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Posts: 1316
From: Syracuse, NY
Registered: Jan 2005

posted 04-04-2011 02:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Duke Of URL   Click Here to Email Duke Of URL     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I remember reading that one of the Apollo-era astronauts from the Air Force was in Europe (prior to his selection) with the assignment to deliver nuclear weapons in the event of war.

What was "interesting" - as a fact, not from morbid curiosity - was that the pilots were aware the planes they flew didn't have enough fuel to complete the mission and return to base, so they would have to ditch and get back on foot through enemy territory.

I'm not a big fan of war, but that strikes me as a pretty hairy mission and requires tremendous bravery.

I was wondering if anyone else had read the book and could remember the name of the astronaut. For some reason I think of Edgar Mitchell, Al Worden or Jim Irwin but I just can't remember.

star51L
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Posts: 340
From: Vilano Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 04-04-2011 03:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for star51L   Click Here to Email star51L     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I believe I remember reading in Andrew Chaikin's A Man On The Moon that it was Stu Roosa.

canyon42
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Posts: 238
From: Ohio
Registered: Mar 2006

posted 04-04-2011 07:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for canyon42   Click Here to Email canyon42     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That story appears on page 344 of "A Man on the Moon" by Chaikin. That's the correct page in the edition I have, anyway. And yes, it was Roosa.

Duke Of URL
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Posts: 1316
From: Syracuse, NY
Registered: Jan 2005

posted 04-04-2011 08:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Duke Of URL   Click Here to Email Duke Of URL     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks very much. I was going to say Roosa as well but for some reason couldn't pull the trigger. Does anyone know the book?

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 04-04-2011 08:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Unless I'm missing something obvious, both replies cite the book, Andrew Chaikin's "A Man on the Moon."

Speaking of books though, author Willie Moseley adds:

Roosa was in the 510th Fighter Squadron, headquartered at Langley AFB at the time. The "Nickel and Dime" squadron was nuclear-capable in both the F-84F Thunderstreak and the F-100D Super Sabre, which the 510th acquired while Roosa was in that unit. They practiced nuclear runs domestically as well as overseas. An official USAF illustration of one of the nuclear delivery tactics of the F-84F will be in one of the photo sections of the upcoming Roosa biography, Smoke Jumper, Moon Pilot, along with recollections from more than one of the Roosa children about their father's comments regarding his assignment with the 510th.

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