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Author
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Topic: Mercury Monument at Complex 14 (CCAFS)
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MichaelD
Member Posts: 90
From: Troy Michigan USA
Registered: May 2009
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posted 02-19-2012 03:01 PM
   
Does anyone have by chance plans, blueprints of the standing Mercury 7 monument itself? Or who made it and when so that I may try them for plans? |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-14-2016 09:12 PM
Haven't seen any plans, but the Mercury 7 Monument at Pad 14 was dedicated on Nov. 10, 1964. It was made by General Dynamics, who built the Atlas launch vehicle. It says "Erected As A Public Service By General Dynamics Corporation" on the plaque. Beneath the plaque is a time capsule to be opened in 2464. I believe the items seen in this photo are buried in the time capsule. Gus Grissom and Wally Schirra were at the dedication. I think they were the only Mercury astronauts there. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2915
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 06-14-2016 10:31 PM
No, the other five did not attend. And yes, all the items seen in the provided photo were buried inside the time capsule.During the ceremonies though, a special 3" dia. gold-bronze medallion was unveiled and presented to Mercury program leaders of government, industry, military, and certain members of the press who had performed extraordinary roles in the success of Project Mercury from the very start. The medallions, of which only a few were made, featured the faces of our nation's first seven astronauts. On the reverse side is a circled Mercury "7" monument symbol along with a depiction of a Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle. Also engraved on the medallion is the text, "Commemorating Free Man's First Adventure Beyond The Atmosphere 1958-1963." The medallion design was conceived by the General Dynamics Corp. in cooperation with NASA and the U.S. Air Force. In addition to the medallion presentations, there was even a special limited commemorative book issued with only 201 copies made. Some were given to various key officials and noted dignitaries that were in attendance. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-14-2016 11:03 PM
The Monument has the same Mercury symbol as the Project Mercury General Dynamics logo seen in one of the time capsule photos, but with a "7" instead of an "R" in the center. "R" for Rocketdyne engines? |
Joel Katzowitz
Member Posts: 808
From: Marietta GA USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 06-15-2016 07:01 AM
I have one of the original event programs and, somewhere online, found maybe a dozen photos taken at the event. The photos show most of the attendees and speakers who participated at the ceremony. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-15-2016 07:24 AM
The Atlas photo album (from the San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive) mentioned in the time capsule link above has lots of ceremony photos on pages 203 and 204. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2915
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 06-15-2016 07:35 AM
There were three different programs given out during the ceremonies, one of which, was a beautiful GD book that only a select few had access to.Mine contained a special imprint to veteran space journalist Mary Bubb. Printed on the inside sheet, it says, "This book was printed in a limited edition of 201 copies. This is copy #83, presented to Mary Bubb." Another handout was an attractive black folder, embossed with a gold seal of the medallion design's front surface with an inside fancy presentation. Looking inside the folder, it had also been signed by Grissom and Schirra. Quite attractive. In addition, attending newsmen (and ladies)
during the ceremonies had received a nice vinyl GD press folder that also contained many glossy photos. Of all the space-related events, ceremonies, and functions that I have attended since the later Apollo era, this was perhaps one of the coolest that I have heard about, even though I wasn't there. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-15-2016 07:51 AM
I wonder what the contents of the time capsule will look like after 500 years. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-15-2016 12:08 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Ken Havekotte:
No, the other five did not attend.
Perhaps I am just forgetting, but I don't recall ever seeing a photo of all seven Mercury astronauts together at the Monument. |
Joel Katzowitz
Member Posts: 808
From: Marietta GA USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 06-15-2016 03:16 PM
I have the black folder with the embossed emblem as Ken described. Mine is also signed by Schirra and Grissom. Were all of those presentation packages signed? I also have, courtesy of Ken Havekotte, Guenter Wendt's badge from that event. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2915
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 06-15-2016 08:23 PM
quote:
Originally posted by LM-12:
I don't recall ever seeing a photo of all seven Mercury astronauts together at the Monument.
No, I don't ever recall seeing a photo of all seven at the monument site, but I do have some pics of four to five of the seven at the site years afterwards. To Joel's question; All of the special presentation packages were not signed, in fact, none were signed in advance. Mary Bubb had asked Grissom and Schirra to sign her own folder copy after the ceremony had concluded at the monument site on ICBM Road to the entrance of Pad 14. And nice to hear, Joel, that you have Guenter's badge for the Mercury ceremony
access. It makes me very happy that it's a part of your own badge collection. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-16-2016 07:42 AM
One of the time capsule photos has a partially hidden inscription. It is the Project Mercury General Dynamics logo signed by Glenn and Carpenter. The inscription on the logo says: Treat this one with the same "tender loving care" we had on 109 and 107 — all systems "Go" |
YankeeClipper
Member Posts: 617
From: Dublin, Ireland
Registered: Mar 2011
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posted 06-19-2016 08:06 AM
- Photo of the Convair/General Dynamics Project Mercury emblem sculpture prior to installation at the Mercury 7 Monument.
- Four photos of the Time Capsule being placed at the Mercury 7 Monument. Contents of the time capsule are said to include John Herschel Glenn, Jr.'s Marine Corps pilot wings, capsule blueprints, and photographic film documentation. The four photos are from the private collection of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 14 launch manager Dr. Calvin "Cal" D. Fowler.
- Mercury 7 Monument Tablet
- Mercury 7 Medallion
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