Author
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Topic: Mercury candidate liaison W. Sullivan (1934-2012)
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ColinBurgess Member Posts: 2031 From: Sydney, Australia Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 12-05-2012 01:50 PM
It is with deep personal regret that I have been informed of the passing of a great and noble friend, Walter B. ("Sully") Sullivan, Jr. after a protracted illness, on Sunday, 2 September. In 1959, then a 1st. Lieutenant in the USAF based at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, Sully was appointed liaison officer to the 32 candidates there for stress testing for the position of Mercury astronaut, subsequently remaining friends with many of them for the rest of his life. On his retirement from the USAF he had attained the rank of Lt. Colonel.Sully first contacted me three years ago when I was trying to discover the names of the last five unknown candidates for those final Mercury tests - as seen in the movie "The Right Stuff" - and kindly gave Kris Stoever and I the five missing names. He subsequently assisted me in contacting the surviving finalists or their family members for my book "Selecting the Mercury Seven." He was passionate about this book and his help and friendship were the heart and soul of this work. Now seriously ill, Sully leapt at the chance to assist me once again when I undertook to write a new follow-up book on the selection of the second and third astronaut groups ("Moon Bound," due out in the spring) and his wife Judy told me it gave him a purpose to each new day. It is sad that he will never get to see ths new book, which again is such a tribute to him and his work on my behalf. My wife Pat and I visited Delaware just two months ago and stayed for several days with Sully and Judy, and I know it was a meeting he had longed looked forward to, knowing it would never happen again, and it also meant a great deal to me. His memory will always be cherished and my old mate Sully will be forever and fondly missed. |
fredtrav Member Posts: 1673 From: Birmingham AL Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 12-05-2012 02:04 PM
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eurospace Member Posts: 2610 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 12-05-2012 03:36 PM
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onesmallstep Member Posts: 1310 From: Staten Island, New York USA Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 12-05-2012 03:36 PM
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mach3valkyrie Member Posts: 719 From: Albany, Oregon Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 12-05-2012 03:42 PM
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Kite Member Posts: 831 From: Northampton UK Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 12-05-2012 04:21 PM
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Lou Chinal Member Posts: 1306 From: Staten Island, NY Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 12-05-2012 04:47 PM
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413 is in Member Posts: 628 From: Alexandria, VA USA Registered: May 2006
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posted 12-05-2012 04:55 PM
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capoetc Member Posts: 2169 From: McKinney TX (USA) Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 12-05-2012 06:35 PM
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GACspaceguy Member Posts: 2476 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 12-05-2012 06:53 PM
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randy Member Posts: 2176 From: West Jordan, Utah USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 12-05-2012 07:32 PM
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dss65 Member Posts: 1156 From: Sandpoint, ID, USA Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 12-05-2012 08:20 PM
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David Carey Member Posts: 782 From: Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 12-05-2012 11:41 PM
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alexbaja Member Posts: 448 From: Naxxar, Malta Registered: Dec 2010
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posted 12-06-2012 03:29 AM
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sfurtaw Member Posts: 104 From: Saginaw, MI USA Registered: Feb 2004
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posted 12-06-2012 07:59 AM
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bwhite1976 Member Posts: 281 From: Belleville, IL Registered: Jun 2011
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posted 12-06-2012 08:40 AM
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East-Frisian Member Posts: 586 From: Germany Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 12-06-2012 10:42 AM
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Gilbert Member Posts: 1328 From: Carrollton, GA USA Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 12-06-2012 12:35 PM
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jasonelam Member Posts: 691 From: Monticello, KY USA Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 12-06-2012 07:45 PM
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Rusty B Member Posts: 239 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 12-06-2012 09:47 PM
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Delta7 Member Posts: 1505 From: Bluffton IN USA Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 12-07-2012 04:23 AM
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