NASA pioneer astronaut Scott Carpenter died Thursday at the age of 88 due to medical complications from a recent stroke, leaving John Glenn as the last living member of the Mercury 7.
Carpenter had been hospitalized after suffering a stroke last month at his home in Vail, Colo. Word of his death at a Denver hospice came from family friends and was confirmed by his wife, Patty Barrett.
Carpenter's death brings to mind thoughts of a day gone by, where people were not afraid to take a challenge into the unknown, understanding the risks and rewards, and of course, being made of The Right Stuff.
The other original American astronauts were Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, John Glenn, Wally Schirra, Gordon Cooper, and Deke Slayton. All but Glenn (who was the oldest) are now deceased. Grissom died not long after the Mercury program completed, in the Apollo 1 fire. The others all survived past retirement from service.
All of these men were leaders who had the courage to travel into the unknown, but they were not alone. President Kennedy, while not actually sitting atop the Atlas rocket, joined them and showed real leadership early in his presidency by committing the resources of the United States and set the end date as the goal to achieve a successful moon landing.
I have provided the link of the entire transcript of JFKs speech to the Congress on May 25, 1961.
To further illustrate Kennedy's commitment to the Space Race, as it was called, and his further Profile in Courage to risk his own Presidency for something he believed in, I have provided the link to his Rice University speech about a year later in June, 1962.
Contrast the leadership these eight men exemplified to that of what passes as today's leaders from both parties, led by the Blamer In Chief, Barack Obama. To use a football reference, a sport which this President claims he is a fan, imagine the American people as the Assistant Coach, the House of Representatives as the Head Coach and the President as the player who is failing to perform. As one of my friends so wittingly pointed out to me, it is usually the AC who walks into the locker room and says, "Coach wants to see you. Bring your play book." And the keys to the house.
We are at that point now. Too bad real leaders like Kennedy, Carpenter and all the rest, don't exist anymore. These men showed us the courage to take a chance and bet that the glass would be full. Sadly, these men were there before the country and the world changed almost 50 years ago. No one is here now to take their place.
And, we are worse off now because of that.
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