Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations. 1900 - 2003. Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities. 1947 - 1984. Mercury-Atlas 7 launch, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Florida, Grand Turk Island

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Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations. 1900 - 2003. Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities. 1947 - 1984. Mercury-Atlas 7 launch, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Florida, Grand Turk Island

1947 - 1984

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/72184

Covers second US manned orbital flight with Lt Comdr M. Scott Carpenter (USN) aboard. Shows preflight activities, blast-off, capsule recovery, ship scenes, ceremonies and press conferences. Dignitaries include astronauts Lt Comdr John H. Glenn, Jr and Capt Virgil I. Grissom (USMC); Lt Comdr Walter M. Schirra and Comdr Alan B. Shepard, Jr. (USN); Major L. Cordon Cooper (USAF); NASA Director James E. Webb; Col John A. Powers and Lt Comdr Carpenter's family. Reel 1 1) Series of scenes onboard destroyer USS JOHN R. PIERCE of AURORA 7 space capsule and float collar in water, flood lights shining on capsule being hoisted to deck. 2) Crowd watching space capsule being transferred from flatbed trailer into C-141A. 3) Space capsule being lowered from destroyer deck to flatbed trailer. 408' Total footage in reel. Reel 2 1) Lt Comdr M. Scott Carpenter and technicians entering transfer van at Cape Canaveral. 2) Scenes of Lt Comdr Carpenter entering gantry area, talking to technicians and Lt Comdr Schirra (all personnel other than Lt Comdr Carpenter wearing white coveralls). 3) Lt Comdr Carpenter preparing to enter space capsule, CUs AURORA 7 emblem on capsule. 4) CUs technicians assisting Lt Comdr Carpenter as he enters capsule. 5) MCUs Lt Comdr Glenn and Lt Comdr Schirra watching boarding operation. 6) Views of technicians preparing capsule aperture for hatch cover, shaking hands with Lt Comdr Carpenter and fastening cover. 7) MSs Lt Comdr Glenn talking into telephone. 8) LAVs from elevator descending side of gantry. 9) Series of scenes taken from security gate of the Mercury-Atlas ready for launch, gantry moving away, spectators and NASA personnel watching. 10) MSs schematic drawing of Mercury-Atlas launch plan. 570' Total footage in reel. Reel 3 Scenes of Lt Comdr Carpenter, Lt Comdr Glenn, Capt Grissom and other Mercury Project personnel during and following debriefing at Grand Turk Island. 1,138' Total footage in reel. eel 4 1) MLSs LARC 15 (Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo) vehicle parked on beach, Mercury Project personnel standing in vehicle watching Mercury-Atlas 7 ignition and blast-off. 2) LSs two USN SH-3A helicopters in flight to left and MSs SH-3A landing on aircraft carrier USS INTREPID's deck. 3) USN officers and Mercury Project personnel greeting Lt Comdr Carpenter as he debarks SH-3A. 4) MSs Lt Comdr Carpenter and Col John Powers being photographed. 5) Various views of Lt Comdr Schirra, Lt Comdr Carpenter and Lt Comdr Glenn during interview and in mess hall. 6) MLSs C-54 landing to right, sign in foreground: UNITED STATES AIR FORCE GRAND TURK AUXILIARY AF BASE. 7) MSs Comdr Shepard debarking C-54 and being greeted. 8) CUs Capt and Mrs. Grissom, Col Powers, Lt Comdr Carpenter and other VIPs walking toward NASA Manned Spacecraft Center at Cape Canaveral (astronauts in civilian clothing). 9) MCUs Lt Comdr Carpenter, Lt Comdr Glenn. Comdr Shepard. Capt Grissom, Lt Comdr Schirra and other dignitaries on podium. 10) Lt Comdr Carpenter receiving Distinguished Service Medal presented by NASA Director James E. Webb. 11) Lt Comdr Carpenter speaking and views of his family. 12) Scenes of Lt Comdr Carpenter, Lt Comdr Glenn and others walking across beach carrying scuba gear, boarding outboard motorboat and heading out to sea. 13) Crowds watching Lt Comdr Carpenter and party boarding C-121G. 14) Takeoff as seen from C-121G cockpit. 15) Views of Mrs. Carpenter and children greeting Lt Comdr Carpenter, Lt Comdr Carpenter speaking to crowd and boarding automobile. 16) INT NASA Manned Spacecraft Center control room showing personnel at work. 17) MSs Comdr Shepard, Lt Comdr Glenn and others seated around conference table talking. 18) CUs Lt Comdr Carpenter autographing photographs. 711' Total footage in reel. Reel 5 1) HAVs three USMC UH-34Ds being hoisted from cargo hold of LSD (dock landing ship) USS SPEIGEL GROVE. 2) HAVs waves breaking over bow of LSD. 3) AVs LSD at sea, USMC UH-34D landing on deck. 4) MCUs UH-34D landing on deck, seamen collapsing rotor blades and pushing helicopter away. 5) Series of scenes USMC UH-34Ds in flight, landing on LSD deck, tail sections being folded and rotor blades collapsed. 6) Various views of USMC UH-34Ds lifting off from LSD and coming in for landings. 7) MLSs LST (tank landing ship), destroyer and commercial cargo ship underway in channel. 971' Total footage in reel. Reel 6 1) Col John Powers and Mercury Project personnel holding press conference at Cocoa Beach. 2) HAVs crowd watching motorcade carrying Lt Comdr and Mrs. Carpenter from Patrick AFB to Cape Canaveral. 3) MCU Capt Grissom talking to friends, astronauts boarding C-121G. 4) CUs Mrs Carpenter and children greeting Lt Comdr Carpenter as he debarks C-121G. 5) MCUs Lt Comdr Carpenter showing his family the AURORA 7 space capsule. 6) Lt Comdr Carpenter holding press conference. 535' Total footage in reel. Reel 7 MCUs Lt Comdr Carpenter holding press conference. 735' Total footage in reel. 5068' Total footage in reel.

Film Reel

eng, Latn

National Archives at College Park

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 6499584

National Archives at College Park

Related Entities

There are 4 Entities related to this resource.

Shepard, Alan B. (Alan Bartlett), 1923-1998

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62b9ffh (person)

Rear Admiral Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot, and businessman. In 1961, he became the first American to travel into space, and in 1971, he walked on the Moon. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Shepard saw action with the surface navy during World War II. He became a naval aviator in 1946, and a test pilot in 1950. He was selected as one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts in ...

Grissom, Virgil I. (Virgil Ivan), 1926-1967

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xg9qsf (person)

Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom (b. April 3, 1926-d. Jan. 27, 1967) was born in Mitchell, Indiana. An Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, received his wings in March 1951. He flew 100 combat missions in Korea in F-86s with the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron and, upon returning to the United States in 1952, became a jet instructor at Bryan, Texas. In August 1955, he entered the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to study Aeronautical Engineering. He attended the T...

Glenn, John, 1921-2016

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6t54gzv (person)

John Herschel Glenn, Jr. (b. July 18, 1921, Cambridge, Guernsey County-d. December 8, 2016, Columbus, Ohio), astronaut and U.S. Senator from Ohio. He attended public schools of New Concord, Ohio, and later graduated from Muskingum College. Glenn served in the United States Marine Corps from 1942 to 1965, and was later a test pilot and joining the United States space program in 1959. He was selected as one of the original seven Mercury astronauts. In February 1962, Glenn became the first American...

Carpenter, M. Scott, 1925-2013

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ms5f5v (person)

Scott Carpenter was born in Boulder, Colorado, on May 1, 1925, the son of research chemist Dr. M. Scott Carpenter and Florence Kelso Noxon Carpenter. He attended the University of Colorado from 1945 to 1949 and received a B.S. degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Carpenter was commissioned in the U.S. Navy in 1949. He was given flight training at Pensacola, Florida and Corpus Christi, Texas and designated a Naval Aviator in April, 1951. During the Korean War he served with patrol Squadron Six, fl...