Author
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Topic: Dale W. Cox, Jr. Mercury Finalist (1920-2013)
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ColinBurgess Member Posts: 2031 From: Sydney, Australia Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 08-03-2013 02:43 AM
Those of you who attended Spacefest IV in Tucson in 2012 will remember that one special guest was Dale W. Cox, Jr., one of the surviving 32 finalists for Group 1 (Mercury) selection. Dale was also the principal character in my book "Selecting the Mercury Seven: The Search for America's First Astronauts." I regret to advise that Dale - the oldest of the 32 candidates - passed away in his Palos Verdes, CA home on 25 June 2013, aged 92.Dale led a truly extraordinary life, and it was a wonderful experience and priviliege meeting him and putting together his story for the book. I know he absolutely loved attending what would be his first and only Spacefest event in 2012 along with his son, Brian. |
KSCartist Member Posts: 2896 From: Titusville, FL USA Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 08-03-2013 03:58 AM
He can now visit the stars he sought to explore. Godspeed Mr. Cox. |
MSS Member Posts: 633 From: Poland Registered: May 2003
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posted 08-03-2013 04:06 AM
Dale William Cox, Jr. was born on December 17, 1920 in Spokane, WA.RIP... |
jasonelam Member Posts: 691 From: Monticello, KY USA Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 08-03-2013 04:40 AM
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GACspaceguy Member Posts: 2476 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 08-03-2013 05:27 AM
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Delta7 Member Posts: 1505 From: Bluffton IN USA Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 08-03-2013 08:41 AM
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randy Member Posts: 2176 From: West Jordan, Utah USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 08-03-2013 10:39 AM
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413 is in Member Posts: 628 From: Alexandria, VA USA Registered: May 2006
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posted 08-03-2013 11:12 AM
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sts205cdr Member Posts: 649 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Jun 2001
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posted 08-03-2013 12:03 PM
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mach3valkyrie Member Posts: 719 From: Albany, Oregon Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 08-03-2013 01:53 PM
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DChudwin Member Posts: 1096 From: Lincolnshire IL USA Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-03-2013 05:20 PM
.(It was a pleasure to meet him and his son at Spacefest in 2012.) |
ejectr Member Posts: 1751 From: Killingly, CT Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 08-03-2013 08:07 PM
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bwhite1976 Member Posts: 281 From: Belleville, IL Registered: Jun 2011
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posted 08-03-2013 09:53 PM
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Gilbert Member Posts: 1328 From: Carrollton, GA USA Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 08-04-2013 09:02 AM
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dss65 Member Posts: 1156 From: Sandpoint, ID, USA Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 08-04-2013 01:45 PM
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Kite Member Posts: 831 From: Northampton UK Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 08-04-2013 04:15 PM
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Paul78zephyr Member Posts: 675 From: Hudson, MA Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 08-05-2013 11:19 AM
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East-Frisian Member Posts: 586 From: Germany Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 08-06-2013 06:53 AM
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history in miniature Member Posts: 600 From: Slatington, PA Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 08-06-2013 09:43 AM
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Grounded! Member Posts: 367 From: Bennington, Vermont, USA Registered: Feb 2011
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posted 08-06-2013 12:06 PM
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David Carey Member Posts: 782 From: Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 08-06-2013 02:26 PM
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Lou Chinal Member Posts: 1306 From: Staten Island, NY Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 08-07-2013 04:48 AM
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astro-nut Member Posts: 946 From: Washington, IL Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 08-11-2013 09:51 AM
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ColinBurgess Member Posts: 2031 From: Sydney, Australia Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 08-12-2013 06:02 PM
Dale Cox's son Brian has contacted me, saying he wanted to thank everyone associated with getting his father to Spacefest V (2012), which he said his father found to be "enjoyable but tiring." Brian also sent an obituary of his father. Dale William Cox Jr. '43Captain Dale W. Cox Jr., USN (Ret.), passed away on 25 June 2013 at his Palos Verdes, CA, home with his family at his side. Born on 17 December 1920 in Spokane, WA, he attended Beverly Hills High School and then the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1942, shortly after being crowned NCAA gymnastics champion, he graduated and was ordered to St. Louis (CL-49). After installation of radars, the ship departed for the Pacific, arriving in December 1942 to join the Battle of Guadalcanal. In 1943, St. Louis was torpedoed at Kolumbangara. Repaired at Mare Island, St. Louis returned to the Pacific supporting the 3rd Marine Division's landing on Bougainville Island. There, the ship was hit by Japanese dive bombers, killing 26. In March 1944, he was ordered to the new carrier, Shangri-La (CV-38). After shakedown, the carrier was in the Pacific in early 1945. On 25 April, Shangri-La's air group led an attack on islands south of Okinawa. In early June, Shangri-La and three other carriers made a three-day sustained attack on Tokyo. Two days after Hiroshima, he was transferred via high-line to a destroyer and was dumped on Iwo Jima. Captain Tyrone Powers, USMC, piloted the plane that took him and a USO troupe, including Maureen O'Hara, to Saipan. From there, he flew to flight training at Texas, receiving his Wings in December 1946. In 1949, he received orders to postgraduate school and graduated from Cal Tech in 1952. He was then ordered to a squadron at Barbers Point, HI. Deployed to Kadena AFB on Okinawa during the Korean War, he piloted a photo-recon plane for the CIA. Returning to Hawaii in 1954, he received orders to Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, MD. In 1957, he piloted a A3D to two Federation Aeronautique Internationale transcontinental speed records, LA-NY-LA and NY-LA. In 1959, he was one of 32 candidates for the Mercury astronaut program. In 1961, as naval test director at Mercury, NV, he was ordered to personally take possession of a nuclear weapon and "expand same" ("Johnnie Boy" event). He retired from the Navy in 1962 and went to work for the CIA. In 1970, he started his own company, Western Magnum. Retiring in 2009, he took up writing and finished three books. He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Patricia; three sons, Brian, Dale III and Gary; daughter, Penelope; and six grandchildren. |
fredtrav Member Posts: 1673 From: Birmingham AL Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 08-13-2013 01:06 AM
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albatron Member Posts: 2732 From: Stuart, Florida Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 08-13-2013 08:58 PM
Thanks to Colin for working out his attendance at Spacefest. A true honor to meet him. — Al |
Mike Isbell Member Posts: 551 From: Silver Spring, Maryland USA Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 08-14-2013 03:00 PM
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