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Dad went to Canada to learn how to fly with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He took me on my first airplane ride, where I could have a hand on the stick.

Wally Schirra

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Wally Schirra
Age: 84 †
Born: 1923
Born: March 12
Died: 2007
Died: May 3
Aerospace Engineer
Aircraft Pilot
Astronaut
Autobiographer
Aviator
Businessperson
Test Pilot
United States Naval Aviator
Hackensack
New Jersey
Walter 'Wally' Marty Schirra
Jr.
Walter Marty Schirra
Jr.
Took
Royal
Went
Airplane
Hand
Ride
Learn
Canada
Force
Stick
Hands
Sticks
Firsts
Dad
Aeroplanes
First
Air
Canadian

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I played English football - soccer - instead of American football, because we couldn't afford the equipment.
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Apollo was a big, unwieldy vehicle. I had a problem with the flight controllers over that. It would try to fare its way like an airplane.
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Kennedy had made a mess in Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. He had to do something to look good. The Apollo program of going to the Moon was quite a goal.
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A little levity is appropriate in a dangerous trade.
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John Glenn craved the publicity. I think even John would admit that. When he went into politics, that became pretty obvious! He knew how to do public relations.
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Each test pilot I know considers him, or herself, now that there are women, to be the very best. It's very demeaning to step down the ladder once in a while
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Levity is the lubricant of a crisis. We resort to jokes, pranks and good natured kidding to relieve tension, stress and boredom.
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We spent a lot of time in simulators. We were going to do it right.
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I've always thought space station is a great name. It should be like a gas station where we go for service and supplies before heading further out
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I was told having a website would help me. I have yet to figure out why my life story needs to be on the web.
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I don't think the space station will ever do anything for exploration. Putting people up there for a year or more is the only way you will get anywhere near the exploration concept
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When a man looks across a street, sees a pretty girl, and waves at her, that's not a rendezvous, that's a passing acquaintance. When he walks across the street and nibbles on her ear, that's a rendezvous!
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Some of the wives didn't keep up with the program. It started breaking apart during the Apollo days.
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I had always wanted to go to the Navy. As a young kid, I was intrigued by a Naval Officer with the beautiful brown shoes and sharp gold wings.
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As a child I went to a circus. They had a man shot out of a cannon into a net. I became intrigued with what was going on.
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When people have asked if I'd like to go in the Shuttle, I said you don't get to fly it, except for landing, which I'd love to do. I wouldn't go unless I could command it
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You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes.
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I remember seeing war hero Jimmy Doolittle fly a Gee Bee racer there. He was my childhood hero. Many years later, I was lucky enough to go hunting with him.
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Kids today don't want to get married. Too many of their friends have been married and divorced already. They just don't believe in it
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Another real problem was over putting our helmets on for re-entry, because we all had severe head colds. They couldn't come up there and make us. Houston, you have a problem!
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