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From: West Jordan, Utah USA
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posted 06-19-2017 10:37 AM               

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About ten years ago, maybe earlier, I was at the VIP reception for the Astronaut Scholarship Foundationo scholars and astronauts for a meet and greet at the Astronaut Hall of Fame induction. Bill Dana was there, too. I was among several people listening to him.

Bill was telling a story of driving a convertible (possibly in Southern California) and someone tried to identify him as Jose Feliciano... Bill replied, "I hope Jose Feliciano would not be driving a car. I'm Jose Jimenez."

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From: Monticello, KY USA
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From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 06-19-2017 11:13 AM               

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Ed Sullivan: "Is that a crash helmet?"
Jose: "Oh, I hope not!"

Thank you Bill for many delightful memories.

Rest in peace.

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From: Staten Island, New York USA
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From: London UK
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From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009

posted 06-19-2017 01:04 PM               

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Was it Wally Schirra who maintained that a little levity in a dangerous situation was a good thing? Bill Dana helped to provide that much needed humour.

All of us who grew up in those early days of man's conquest of space will miss his dry wit and be thankful that he introduced us to Jose Jiminez.

Rest in peace Bill, and keep the angels laughing.

Posts: 1512
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 06-19-2017 01:09 PM               

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At the end of the day at an autograph show in New Jersey in 2005 or 2006, a group of us went to the hotel bar. In walked Wally Schirra and sat down with us. Then Bill Dana walked in and sat with us as well! Those two had us all in stitches for the rest of the evening. I wish I could remember even one of the jokes, but I was just laughing... too... hard.

RIP Bill Dana.

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From: Guyton, GA
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From: Northampton UK
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From:
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posted 06-19-2017 02:27 PM            

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Quite simply, one of my favorite people!

"The Astronaut by Jose Jimenez" 1961: (8:18)

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From: Geneva, Switzerland
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Posts: 808
From: Marietta GA USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-19-2017 03:02 PM               

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I have a flown dollar bill that accompanied Wally Schirra on his MA-8 flight. After his return he gifted the bill to Bill Dana in a framed presentation that stated the bill had flown aboard Sigma 7 on October 5, 1962.

In reality the MA-8 mission launched and landed on October 3. When I questioned Dana about the discrepancy he laughed and told me Wally had given him the flown dollar on his birthday which happened to be October 5, just two days after the flight. So for a laugh Schirra used Dana's birthday instead of the launch date on the presentation.

It was a great story from a delightful man.

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From: Fort Mill, SC, USA
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From: Bennington, Vermont, USA
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From: CA.
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From: Bluffton IN USA
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From:
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posted 06-19-2017 05:42 PM               

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I was attending one of the astronaut conventions (the Sims and Hankow Burbank show I believe) and I had gone down to the front desk to get directions to the Jet Propulsion Lab. In front of me was a weary traveler who couldn't seem to catch a break. Apparently his airline connections were a nightmare, the rental car wasn't ready when he finally did arrive and the last straw was the front desk clerk told him that he'd have to carry his own bags because the bellhop was on break.

I thought that I recognized him as Bill Dana, so I offered to get his bags from his car and help him and his wife to their room. The guy doesn't know me, but throws me the car and room keys and asks me to park the car, explain to his wife what is going on and get the bags. By this time another collector (Dave Sixsmith) has heard our conversation and volunteers to help as well. So we go out, park the car, send Mrs. Dana (who is wondering why two strangers have the keys to her car while her husband is nowhere in sight) up to the room to get it opened up.

As we walked into the hotel with all of the luggage, Bill met us and then we all rode up in the elevator... with Bill telling jokes the whole time. Apparently we were quite loud because Mrs. Dana said that she could hear us all the way down the hall.

Bill was very gracious and signed quite a number of photos and cards for me that weekend... including an image from his TV show where he was a bellman. He wrote "To Dennis – my favorite bellman — Thanks for schlepping my bags."

Posts: 2915
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 06-19-2017 05:46 PM               

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Wasn't it Shepard, though, that had first introduced Bill Dana to the Mercury astronaut team?

A talented comedian that had become a close and dear friend to many of the early astronauts, he was a space personality "entertainer" icon when Americans were first going into space.

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