Randolph (CVS 15) - Naval Cruise Book

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-W .re-fa-W - GLENN History in the making it was as LT COL John H. Glenn, USMC, was inserted into his Mercury capsule at Cape Canaveral, Florida, by eager NASA technicians and fellow astronauts early in the morning of February 20, 1962. After weeks of waiting the Marine Aviator was told that all systems are go and that the recovery vessels were waiting for him. And waiting we were! All hands were on edge for the moment of history in which they would share for after three orbits around the earth John Glenn would land nearby and be brought to their ship Waiting watching counting the minutes as the capsule circled the earth Listening for the word that one then two then three orbits were suc cessful Finally a beautiful chute crackled over the 5MC and we knew that COL Glenn was on his way down Frank Carey of the Associated Press aboard for the recovery wrote it this way 2 46 PM The Navy reported that the Friendship Seven capsule was sighted by the destroyer NOA 31 miles northwest of this recovery ship at 2 40 PM EST The Randolph sped toward it at 31 knots The NOA reported that the capsule was still in the air when spotted 2 52 PM This carrier sped to the position of the capsule now estimated to have splashed at 244 PM Marine helicopters were also enroute to the position 258 PM The Navy reported that the destroyer Noa was alongside the Glenn space capsule at 257 PM EST The Randolph is speeding to the same area 3 08 PM The Destroyer Noa reported shortly after 3 PM to this ship that the astronaut had reported by radio that his condition was good 312 PM Officers of the Randolph said that the space capsule with Glenn in it had been taken aboard the destroyer The Noa reported that Glenn s condition was excellent Doctors from the Randolph took off by helicopter to loin a medical team aboard the Noa which was conducting the initial stages of a , xref Q 2 f' , Jive? The road to the launching pad is long . . . John Glenn s trip was longer. debriefing session ln another helicopter from the Randolph a team of space agency officials and pho- tographers flew to the Noa to inspect the capsule. Officers aboard the carrier said they expected that Glenn would be brought aboard the Randolph either by helicopter or by highline stretched between the ships but most likely by helicopter 4 26 PM CDR James M O Brien Executive Officer naut will be ready for a helo transfer from the Noa upon completion of his debriefing The debriefing session aboard the Noa was being conducted by a two man medical team especially assigned to the Noa for the Glenn shot 4 30 PM The Noa is not equipped to take a chest X ray and an electrocardiagram two of the aspects of the physical examination of the astronaut - so these two tests will be made aboard the Randolph. 454 PM Astronaut Glenns first words upon emerging from his space capsule were 'it was hot in there' The Astronaut also skinned his knuckles slightly when he blew the side hatch of his capsule, officials of the space agency reported by radio from the Noa EST.approx.imately 55 miles northwest of the Randolph. Of the Randaph declared at 4:20 PM EST: 'The astro- 24

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ss -.J SCUBA divers wait anxiously on board RANDOLPH during Glenn's three hour orbital ride. Checking the helicopter he will pilot for the recovery is Marine Major W. Nelson, a former squadron mate of the astronaut. Five-four-three-two-one-zero-Iift-off! Nz .nn U X V .- F If nv I