posted 04-26-2025 11:39 AM            

These are the names found so far. Most of the suit tech names are from this thread. Any additions to the list below?

Apollo 7

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. John Young ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Clyde Teague ... suit tech
   
4. Keith Walton ... suit tech
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Fred Haise ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Dick Sandridge ... suit tech
   
4. 
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Richard Gordon ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Clyde Teague ... suit tech
   
4. John Bolan ... suit tech
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Joe Engle ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Al Rochford ... suit tech
   
4. Jim McNair ... suit tech
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Fred Haise ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Joe Schmitt ... suit tech
   
4. Ron Woods ... suit tech
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Al Worden ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Dick Sandridge ... suit tech
   
4. John Bolan ... suit tech
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Vance Brand ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Clyde Teague ... suit tech
   
4. Troy Stewart ... suit tech
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Bruce McCandless (?) ... NASA astronaut *
   
3. Al Rochford ... suit tech
   
4. 
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Karl Henize ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Joe Schmitt ... suit tech
   
4. Frank Hernandez ... suit tech
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Tony England ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Clyde Teague ... suit tech
   
4. Troy Stewart ... suit tech
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Gordon Fullerton ... NASA astronaut *
   
3. Al Rochford ... suit tech
   
4. 
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Hank Hartsfield ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Joe Schmitt ... suit tech
   
4. Frank Hernandez ... suit tech
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Hank Hartsfield (?) ... NASA astronaut *
   
3. Al Rochford ... suit tech
   
4. 
   
5. 
   

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Hank Hartsfield ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Troy Stewart ... suit tech
   
4. Walt Salyer ... suit tech
   
5. Ray Broadwell ... North American Rockwell CM tech
   
6. Frank Suvella ... NASA quality control inspector

1. Guenter Wendt ... pad leader
   
2. Bob Crippen ... NASA astronaut
   
3. Al Rochford ... suit tech
   
4. Frank Hernandez ... suit tech
   
5. 
   

posted 04-26-2025 04:13 PM            

I ask this because Ron, as back-up CMP on Apollo 14, was at the crew pre-flight breakfast. After that he met up with a number of old Navy squadron-mates whom he had invited to see the launch.

In researching Ron's biography, "A Long Voyage to the Moon", I found no evidence that Ron had been in the Apollo 14 close-out crew and when I discussed this with Al Worden, he didn't think there would have been time for Ron to do the breakfast, then the close-out, then meet his friends for the launch.

posted 04-28-2025 04:31 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by LM-12:
The Apollo 14 Flight Journal mentions Evans after the PAO commentary at T minus 1 hour 30 minutes.

---

The Apollo 14 Flight Journal identifies both the capsule closeout astronaut and the KSC capsule communicator ("Stony") as Ron Evans. In the case of "Stony" that is incorrect, as determined in the earlier thread ("Apollo 14: Evans Transit from LCC to MCC"). That was Fred Haise, hence Al Shepard's comment at T- 3 minutes, 39 seconds, "Loud and clear, Freddo."). Furthermore, I spoke to two former squadron-mates of Ron Evans who confirmed that Ron and his wife were with them for the launch, somewhere near the VAB.

In the case of the astronaut participating in the Apollo 14 capsule close-out, I have found no conclusive evidence, but I believe the Apollo 14 Flight Journal is also wrong about that. I suggest it was assumed that both tasks fell to the Apollo 14 back-up command module pilot. (As pointed out in my previous post, that may have been the case earlier in Project Apollo, but by Apollo 13 it usually became a job for a member of the support crew).

Al Worden's comments to me (c. 2020) are important: when Al was Apollo 12 back-up CMP, he didn't attend the crew pre-flight breakfast because he was involved in the command module pre-flight checks. From memory, checking all the switches and settings took up to two hours for the astronaut who conducted the checks. Al didn't see how Ron Evans could have had time to attend the Apollo 14 pre-flight breakfast; then go to the launch-pad to do capsule checks, then go to meet his wife and friends before the launch.

As we know Ron DID do the first and third of those activities, it seems very unlikely he could also have done the capsule checks. I suggest that was almost certainly done by a support-crew member. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate the last surviving support-crew member, Phil Chapman, and he has since died.

posted 04-29-2025 11:33 AM            

So I would say there is a good chance that Hartsfield may have been the closeout astronaut in the White Room for Skylab 3.

posted 04-30-2025 03:00 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by LM-12:
So, was Fullerton on the closeout crew in the White Room?

---

At around T-2 hours 31 minutes in the countdown, when Cernan, Evans and Schmitt were in the command module, Cernan is heard to say "Gordo, stoop down a little bit, will you? Could you get down a little bit? You're blocking it all."

So maybe Fullerton was the closeout astronaut for Apollo 17. Sure seems like it. I will add his name to the list.

posted 05-01-2025 09:06 PM            

For Apollo 15, Henize was the closeout astronaut in the White Room on launch day. Then he flew to Houston to be the second MCC capcom for that flight.

posted 05-03-2025 01:26 PM            

All three crewmen will be transferred to the Level 320' simultaneously. SCDR and SPLT will exit elevator with SSSA and proceed to W/R. SSPT and SSSB will remain in elevator until required at S/C. A seat will be provided in elevator for SSPT. Upon direction from MSTC, CVTS will notify SSSB via point to point phone to transfer SSPT to W/R ... Van driver will be released to exit pad by CVTS after SSSB reports astronauts are at the 320' level.

All three crewmen will be transferred to the Level 320' simultaneously. SCDR (commander) and SPLT (pilot) will exit elevator with SSSA (suit tech) and proceed to W/R (White Room). SSPT (science pilot) and SSSB (suit tech) will remain in elevator until required at S/C (spacecraft). A seat will be provided in elevator for SSPT. Upon direction from MSTC (spacecraft test conductor), CVTS (vehicle test supervisor) will notify SSSB via point to point phone to transfer SSPT to W/R ... Van driver will be released to exit pad by CVTS after SSSB reports astronauts are at the 320' level.