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Author Topic: Mr. Kranz & I  (Read 408 times)

Offline DiabloTX

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Mr. Kranz & I
« on: June 13, 2008, 01:44:43 AM »
So tonight I got to meet one of my hero's, Mr. Gene "Failure Is Not An Option" Kranz.  This was a thrill that is indescribable.  It was a surprise from my mother in law, she bought my wife and I tickets to the annual Lunar Rendezvous "movie night" and what did we get?  One hour of Gene Kranz speaking of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions with special coverage of Apollo 13.  It was so freaking incredible to sit there and hear it from him instead of watching "Apollo 13" again.  Mr. Kranz has been a personal hero of mine for quite a while and this will be something I'll never, ever forget.  I had a personal laugh when, in the middle of his speech, he explained that Mission Control at that time lived off of a diet of "black coffee, cigarettes, and prayer."  A great man, one hell of an American. 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Kranz

« Last Edit: June 13, 2008, 02:07:55 AM by DiabloTX »
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Offline rpm

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2008, 02:01:42 AM »
OK, you need to change your name to One Lucky SOB and mine to Jealous MoFo.  :salute
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Offline DiabloTX

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2008, 02:05:15 AM »
I tell you, it was a thrill.  One of his great lines was, "In 1960 I had just started with NASA and our generation was given a space program with a goal.  We were lucky.  Today, your generation isn't going to be given anything, you're going to have to earn it."  It was one hour that seemed to go by in 10 minutes.
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Offline rpm

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2008, 02:11:29 AM »
I can only imagine. I'm a NASA nut from wayyyyyyy back. I actually remember all that Gemini stuff when it happened. :rock
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Offline DiabloTX

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2008, 02:16:13 AM »
Oh, it's not visible, but he wore the exact white vest he had on during the Apollo 13 mission. 

Was better than seeing Elvis.

RPM, read his book if you haven't already, "Failure Is Not An Optoin".  I forgot to bring my copy in my excitement to go see him.   :mad:
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Offline rpm

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2008, 02:21:49 AM »
If you ever go to Azle, Tx, check the Walnut Creek Middle School library and see who donated Failure Is Not an Option and a few more NASA books. :D
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Offline DiabloTX

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2008, 02:27:09 AM »
Awesome!   :salute
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Offline rpm

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2008, 02:31:25 AM »
When I had my liquor store there I dropped some serious dough on their book drive. They didn't have a single book on space exploration.
Fixed that little problem. Kids need to read this stuff, now they can.
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Offline JB88

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2008, 04:18:50 AM »
dude.  it's photoshopped.

heh.

way to go man.  way cool. 

 :aok
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Offline Reschke

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2008, 06:22:45 AM »
Cool opportunity.
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Offline eskimo2

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #10 on: June 13, 2008, 06:39:17 AM »
Far out man!
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Offline ZetaNine

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #11 on: June 13, 2008, 06:49:24 AM »
what an honor.........very cool indeed TX.
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Offline midnight Target

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #12 on: June 13, 2008, 07:44:04 AM »
Cool, where's the white vest?

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Offline DiabloTX

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #13 on: June 13, 2008, 08:59:43 AM »
He did his presentation wearing the vest he wore during the Apollo 13 mission.  As soon as he was done a couple of NASA reps zoomed in and took it back.  I was hoping to get a picture of it with me wearing it but NASA determined otherwise.
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Offline texasmom

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Re: Mr. Kranz & I
« Reply #14 on: June 13, 2008, 10:15:48 AM »
Awesome! How fortunate for you to have that photo to remember your meeting!
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