MOUNT VERNON — Members of the Capt. Peter Chapman II Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, participated in a the virtual experience of a lifetime on Sept. 14 when they met with NASA astronaut legend, Fred Haise, Lunar Module (LEM) pilot on the Apollo 13 mission.
Haise and his crew were dramatically portrayed in the 1995 blockbuster movie, “Apollo 13” directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton.
He has won the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.
The 92-year-old Haise joined the local Civil Air Patrol squadron from his home in Houston, Texas. He told the group about his career as a Marine and Air Force fighter pilot, NASA test pilot, astronaut with both the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs and his career as an executive with Grumman Aviation.
Haise also spoke about his time with the Ohio Air National Guard, 164th Tactical Fighter Squadron, in Mansfield, flying F-84 fighter jets during the Second Berlin Crisis in 1961. Haise told Aerospace Education Officer, Capt. John Morgan, “I know Mount Vernon well, flew over it many times!”
The ill-fated Apollo 13 mission in April of 1970 has been called a “successful failure.” Two days into their voyage to the moon, the Command Service Module (CSM) containing astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, suffered a catastrophic explosion.
The mission quickly turned from a voyage of exploration to a race for survival. Lovell and Haise had been in the LEM putting away equipment from a televised network presentation when CSM pilot Jack Swigert was asked by Mission Control to flip a switch to stir the cryogenic oxygen tanks, triggering the spark causing the explosion.
“I had a sick feeling when I came up from the lunar module,” Haise said. “I looked over at the instrument panel and it was clear from a couple of the readings that we had lost oxygen tank #2, which meant to me … we had lost the landing.”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Haise never had the thought they would not make it back to earth.
“I never had during any time in the mission, did I ever feel we were not going to get back,” he said. “We never hit a point or an impasse where there was not the next thing being worked on.”
After a perilous four day trip back to earth using the Lunar Module as a lifeboat, and overcoming several other obstacles, the crew splashed down safely in the South Pacific Ocean.
“It has become a folktale of sorts, a folktale of people in trouble … and a team that had come to work together to successfully overcome obstacles and get us back home safely,” Haise said.
During the hour-long virtual session, cadets had the opportunity to ask several questions.
Cadet Senior Airman Abigail Hudson said of the experience, “It was an incredible opportunity that many people don’t get. It put into perspective that Apollo 13 wasn’t just a cool movie, but it really happened. I learned about the amount of teamwork and problem solving that went into the Apollo 13 mission.”
Haise also stressed to the young cadets the importance of education and training. He explained how when he left NASA in the late 1970’s and went to work for Grumman, he went back to school at the Harvard School of Business at the age of 39.
“I knew I lacked some experience … I didn’t know too much about finance, marketing, about business planning, so I went back to school, to get a little knowledge under me in that regard so that I could be a more successful executive,” he said.
“All of you should think about as you’re getting through your schooling, is what talent you have been born and blessed with. All of you have talent … and the secret to make for a much happier and successful life is to figure out what that talent is and to best direct it in that direction.”
The virtual discussion was brought to the unit by STEAM4SPACE.ORG, which provides informal STEM educational opportunities to groups, like Civil Air Patrol, nationwide.
“Educational experiences like this are just part of our Aerospace Education mission,” sCapt. Morgan said, “which is to inspire the next generation of aviation, space and cyber leaders using STEM education, leadership principles and mentoring through our Cadet Program.”
The Capt. Peter Chapman II Composite Squadron meets every Monday evening at 6 p.m. at the airport terminal building, 6481 Kinney Rd., Mount Vernon. The Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program is open to youth ages 12 to 18.
The program focuses on Leadership, Aerospace Education, Physical Fitness and Character Development. For more information on the Cadet Program or adult volunteer opportunities, contact Capt. John Morgan, CAP, at 740-263-1664.
About Civil Air Patrol
Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation.
In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.
