Episode 17 -- John Young Memorial

Rick is joined for this special memorial tribute by Milt Heflin, who shares his memories of the remarkable career of John Young.

SHOW NOTES:

*Milt worked four of John Young's then-record six spaceflights -- two in landing and recovery, one as an Electrical Power Systems flight controller in the Staff Support Room and one as an EECOM.

*Johnson Space Center Director Mike Coats asks Milt if he'll replace John as Associate Director (Technical). After mulling the offer, Milt accepts ... on one condition.

*Milt first meets John as they develop procedures for uprighting an upside-down Apollo command module following splashdown. A couple of test subjects apparently don't take to being upside down with water rushing into the spacecraft very well ... but John? He's good to go.

*After Milt helps with the recovery of the Apollo 16 command module following splashdown, John ALMOST offers him a souvenir from the flight.

*Milt amassed what he calls a lot of "stuff" over the years while working at NASA, but none of it means as much to him as the memories.

*John held court during high-level program meetings ... but never while seated at the main table.

*Milt remembers John's memos, which documented his concerns on "many, many things."

*Hear how Milt handled a question John once asked at the most inopportune time. 

*It could sometimes be a rather tricky proposition dealing with John's persistent suggestions. He might not always have gotten everything he wanted, but he got enough to where he felt he'd improved the situation. 

*Important to note, Milt adds, is the fact that John didn't sulk or pout when he didn't get his way. He simply regrouped and tried again, always in a professional manner. 

*When John retired as Associate Director (Technical) at JSC, he left behind what Milt calls an "aircraft-carrier-sized desk" that had come from the chief astronaut's office. When someone offered to repair the many dings and dents, Milt refused out of a sense of history. 

*How Milt thinks John Young will be remembered by history ...

NEXT EPISODE:

Our tribute to Bruce McCandless ...