L.A. Welcomes Apollo 11 Astronauts

Here's an "oldie but goodie" photo. It is from the L.A. Public Library.

It was posted at Facebook with this caption:

 

[1969] "Yorty greets Astros at the bottom of the stairs of the Pres. jet upon their arrival at L.A." Mayor Sam Yorty is pictured greeting Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin as they descend the stairs of Airforce One. The three astronauts traveled to Los Angeles in order to attend a state dinner at the Century Plaza in their honor, following the successful Apollo 11 mission to the Moon. (Joe Messinger - Herald Examiner Collection)

President Nixon flew the three Apollo 11 astronauts aboard Air Force One to Los Angeles for a state dinner at the Century Plaza Hotel. From the photo, we see the three astronauts, L.A. Mayor Sam Yorty, Governor Jerry Brown and on the steps is former President Lyndon Johnson. I think the lady at right is Mrs. Yorty.  

Johnson Space Center Mission Control

Above, the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center building. Whenever
 astronauts are in space, a U.S. flag flies over the center. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A highlight of my trip to Houston, Texas was to visit the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

It has been a focal point of the U.S. manned space program almost from the beginning. It opened in September 1963.

From Wikipedia:

The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is NASA's center for human spaceflight in Houston, Texas (originally named the Manned Spacecraft Center), where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted. It was renamed in honor of the late U.S. president and Texas native, Lyndon B. Johnson, by an act of the United States Senate on February 19, 1973.

JSC consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres (660 ha) in Clear Lake. The center is home to NASA's astronaut corps, and is responsible for training astronauts from both the U.S. and its international partners. It also houses the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center, which has provided the flight control function for every NASA human spaceflight since Gemini 4 (including Apollo, Skylab, Apollo–Soyuz, Space Shuttle and Artemis). It is popularly known by its radio call signs "Mission Control" and "Houston".

The original Manned Spacecraft Center grew out of the Space Task Group (STG) headed by Robert R. Gilruth that was formed to coordinate the U.S. crewed spaceflight program. The STG was based at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, but reported organizationally to the Goddard Space Flight Center just outside Washington, D.C. To meet the growing needs of the US human spaceflight program, plans began in 1961 to expand its staff to its own organization, and move it to a new facility. This was constructed in 1962 and 1963 on land donated by the Humble Oil company through Rice University, and officially opened its doors in September 1963. Today, JSC is one of ten major NASA field centers and the city of Houston's primary cultural footprint, earning it the official nickname "Space City" in 1967.

 

55 Years Ago

While reading about the townhall meeting that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended yesterday, I noted he spoke about the assassination of his father and the aftermath in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968. 

I was reminded that our junior high school class was rehearsing our graduation ceremonies in the parking lot of Richard Henry Dana Intermediate School in Hawthorne, California on June 6. The school was only a few miles from Los Angeles International Airport. Our graduation ceremonies were later held at Leuzinger High School's football field.

While we were out in the parking lot, we saw many news helicopters flying over the airport. There were so many, it's a wonder none collided. Then Air Force Two, bearing the body of Sen. Robert Kennedy and his family took off (as a courtesy, President Johnson provided the plane for the Kennedy family). It seemed that air traffic at the airport was halted until Air Force Two departed. Once it did, the news helicopters dispersed from the airport area. 

Even though this took place 55 years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. 

50 Years Since Vietnam Peace Agreement

50 years ago yesterday, I was at Chaffee Motors (Ford dealer) in Hawthorne, California after taking my dad there so he could pick up his car that had some mechanical work done.

While there, I heard on the radio that former President Lyndon Johnson died. The next evening, January 23, 1973, President Richard Nixon announced the Vietnam Peace Agreement that ended the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

What caused this memory was a Twitter post by the Richard Nixon Foundation of yesterday.

They posted:

Lyndon Baines Johnson died 50 years ago today. The following night on January 23, President Nixon would go on live television to announce the end of the Vietnam War. After the announcement he wrote this letter to Lady Bird Johnson.

It is hard to believe that 50 years has passed. 

Unfortunately, the peace agreement only held for two years. 

FBI-CIA Are Still Withholding 3% of The JFK Documents

Above, a view of Elm Street from a sixth floor window of the former Texas School Book Depository.
This window is two windows to the west of the actual sniper's window. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To date, roughly 97% of the previously withheld classified JFK assassination documents have been released. Yesterday, 13,000 more were released.

There's 3% remaining. People are already asking, What are they hiding? 

Above, the sniper's next at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Gateway Pundit has jumped into the fray.

They wrote:

In 2017 President Trump approved the release of approximately 2800 long-classified JFK assassination records.

News outlets from around the globe furiously combed through the files in search of more pieces to the puzzling death of President John F. Kennedy.

President Trump released a second trove of documents later that year.

One of the documents revealed that Democrat President Lyndon Johnson was a KKK member.

This was not a surprise.

The Ku Klux Klan was founded as the activist wing of the Democratic Party.

On Thursday the National Archives released thousands of the JFK documents.

But the FBI-CIA would not allow the release of all of the documents. Around 3% of the JFK documents are still being withheld from release to the public — more than 50 years after the assassination.

What are they hiding?

We know how trustworthy the CIA and FBI are these days, don't we?

To read more, go here. 

Finished "Five Presidents"

Finally, after nine months after getting it, I've finished reading former Secret Service Agent Clint Hill's book, Five Presidents.

I had pre-ordered a personalized autographed book before heading up to Corte Madera in Marin County in early June to attend a talk and book signing at Book Passage by Clint Hill and co-author Lisa McCubbin.

Not that it was a thick or difficult book to read, it seemed that each time I was going to sit and read it, something else would come up or I was just too tired to read. Usually, I can finish a book of this type (non-fiction) in a couple of sittings.

Above, Clint Hill and Lisa McCubbin at Book Passage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was an interesting look at Hill's career as a secret service agent from the Eisenhower years to the early months of Gerald Ford's presidency.

Pretty much everything that occurred during those years are covered in the book including the Kennedy assassination, LBJ's Viet Nam troubles, Elvis Presley's visit with Nixon and Watergate.

For those who are interested in historical events from people who were there and able to give first-hand accounts, Five Presidents is a very satisfying read.

Former Secret Service Agent Clint Hill At Book Passage

Above, former Secret Service Agent Clint Hill today at Book Passage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been an interesting day.

I am now back at the Los Banos KOA after having left the Bay Area immediately following the presentations by former Secret Service Agent Clint Hill and his co-author, Lisa McCubbin on their new book, Five Presidents.

I managed to get a reserved seat in the front row in the event room of Book Passage in Corte Madera. I picked up autographed copies of their book for my daughter Amber and for my "honorary sister" Diane.

It was a good thing I pre-ordered my personalized autographed copy as the line for their signatures was a long one. Hill drew a large crowd. I had to leave as I was expecting a three and a half hour drive back to Los Banos. Strangely, I am in the same campsite I was in two nights ago.

Hill and McCubbin grave a great presentation on Hill's experiences with five U.S. presidents, beginning with Dwight D. Eisenhower through Gerald R. Ford.

Photo slides and video accompanied their presentation. Now in his 80s, Hill is sharp as a tack and McCubbin said that he's the most intelligent man she knows.

Hill was the secret service agent who reached the Kennedy limousine in Dallas during the assassination. He described in vivid detail what happened. I shot a video of this part of his presentation and it is uploaded at YouTube. You can see it below:




Along with the JFK assassination, Hill talked about working for Lyndon Johnson, Viet Nam, Nixon (particularly the visit by Elvis Presley to the White House), Watergate and the Nixon resignation. He also talked about attending the Robert Kennedy funeral and burial with President Johnson (after the RFK assassination, presidential candidates began being given secret service protection under a law signed by Johnson) .

The presentation by Hill and McCubbin was an enjoyable event and I have to thank the fine folks at Book Passage for their work in putting it all together. It was well worth the nearly 400-mile drive from L.A.

Below, are more photos of today's event:

Above, outside view of Book Passage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, one of the displays of Clint Hill's books. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, other books by Hill and McCubbin. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Clint Hill and Lisa McCubbin. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Hill talks about working for President Eisenhower. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Hill recounts the JFK assassination. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Hill tells how writing his books was cathartic for him. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Robert Kennedy assassination portion of the discussion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Elvis visits Nixon is recounted. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a large crowd in line for autographs by Hill and McCubbin. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

"Parkland" (2013)

After reading articles on Parkland, the 2013 movie on what transpired at Dallas, Texas' Parkland Memorial Hospital following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, I was very much interested in seeing it.

Parkland was directed by Peter Landesman. Actors include Zac Efron, Tom Welling, Billy Bob Thornton and Paul Giamatti.

Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by it.

The movie begins with the President's breakfast banquet in Fort Worth with intercut scenes of the hospital's staff getting ready for the day's work in treating emergency room patients and dressmaker Abraham Zapruder's morning in his office. These scenes are augmented by actual film footage of President Kennedy in Fort Worth.

The movie then goes into the President's arrival at Dallas Love Field and the motorcade through downtown Dallas (again, with actual film footage shot that day). These are intercut with Abraham Zapruder going into Dealey Plaza with his secretary to find a suitable spot to film the Presidential motorcade as it made its way down Elm Street.

Next, the movie goes into the assassination and the President's arrival at Parkland Hospital (incredibly, there is not a single mention that I could detect that Texas Governor John Connally was even in the limousine with Kennedy or that he was also wounded) and the efforts to save his life. Was it standard procedure for ER doctors and nurses to not wear surgical masks in 1963 while treating the President, but to wear them while treating his assassin? It was, according to this movie.

After this, the movie shifts to a dazed and upset Zapruder and his efforts to have his home movie of the assassination developed while under escort by Forrest Sorrels of the Dallas bureau of the Secret Service and Robert Oswald's reaction to finding that his brother Lee is accused of assassinating the President and Dallas Police Officer J. D. Tippit.

The movie does delve into the events of the weekend, including the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald while being moved to the County Jail.

Frankly, these events should rivet a viewer's attention, but instead, I found them to be dull as dishwater and not well-acted. The movie's score was also unremarkable. Plus, I saw some niggling factual errors. I'll just mention a couple.

First, Zapruder suffered from vertigo and needed his secretary to hold him on the pedestal in Dealey Plaza to steady him. In the movie, he climbs up alone as she stands below. In reality, she stood up on the pedestal with him and held him as he filmed the assassination.

Second, the movie shows Vice President Lyndon Johnson being hustled out of Parkland Hospital with his head and upper body held down by a swarming circle of Secret Service agents. In reality, Johnson walked briskly and upright out of the hospital with Secret Service agents a few feet away.

Those are two things immediately caught my attention. I am certain there are plenty more factual errors.

And, there was one glaring omission.

In his efforts to get his film developed, Zapruder went to television station WFAA with Secret Service agent Forrest Sorrels, but found that they did not have the facilities to develop 8mm film. While there at the station, he was interviewed on live television by WFAA's Jay Watson. The interview was completely omitted from the movie.

Parkland does have its moments, but as a whole, it was very disappointing. The 1973 movie, Executive Action, starring Burt Lancaster and Robert Ryan (a movie that rarely ever gets mentioned), is a lot more interesting, despite its low budget and that it was a fictional conspiracy story promoted by Mark Lane.

My grade: C.

When Eugene McCarthy Endorsed Ronald Reagan For President

Above, Eugene McCarthy during his 1968 presidential campaign.

I was thumbing through former Ronald Reagan aide Michael K. Deaver's book A Different Drummer yesterday and found a little tidbit of political trivia. The book is about Deaver's thirty years of working for Ronald Reagan.

During the 1980 presidential campaign against President Jimmy Carter, Reagan was barnstorming the Midwest. Reagan, at this point, was slightly behind Carter in the polls. Deaver was receiving messages that former Minnesota U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy (March 29, 1916 – December 10, 2005), one of the most respected liberal Democrats, wanted a private meeting with Reagan.

Deaver "couldn't understand why this icon of the left would want to meet with the new Mr. Conservative." It was Eugene McCarty's surprise showing in the 1968 New Hampshire Primary that caused President Lyndon Johnson to withdraw from the 1968 presidential campaign.

When the Reagan party arrived at their hotel, there was Eugene McCarthy sitting by himself in the lobby.

McCarthy approached Reagan and said, "Governor, I'd like to talk to you in private if that's okay." Reagan nodded and shook his hand and they went into Reagan's room. Deaver "instinctively" followed them in. McCarthy didn't seem to mind. Deaver stayed long enough to hear McCarthy tell Reagan that he wanted to formally endorse him for president. McCarthy gave his reasons for wanting to support Reagan and ditch Carter.

Above, Ronald and Nancy Reagan at Los Angeles International Airport following the 1980 Republican National Convention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Reagan was appreciative and after some small talk, McCarthy departed with Deaver escorting him to his car. During the walk to the car, Deaver said to him, "What you said in there makes some sense, Senator. But what's the real reason you're endorsing Ronald Reagan?"

At the car, McCarthy looked Deaver in the eye and said, "I'll tell you why. It's because he is the only man since Harry Truman who won't confuse the job with the man."

JFK Death Car At Century Plaza Hotel

Above, the 1961 Lincoln Continental limousine during the Kennedy years.

Here's a little bit of historical trivia for you.

In September 1972, President Richard Nixon was running for re-election. On September 27, Nixon was scheduled to give a fundraising speech at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

I was fortunate to be able to attend the welcoming of the President at the Century Plaza. (I covered this story a while ago on this blog.) Those of us with the Young Voters for the President were bused to the Century Plaza and were herded into roped-off areas in the parking lot for President Nixon's arrival via his Marine One helicopter.

After the Nixons exited Marine One, they were led to a presidential limousine which would then drive along the crowd, allowing them to shake hands with the throngs.

Until last night, it never occurred on me that the limousine Nixon was riding that day was the 1961 Lincoln Continental that President John F. Kennedy was riding in when he was assassinated in Dallas. That is, until I looked at a contact sheet of photos from the National Archives of that day in 1972 and compared them to photos of the car today at the Henry Ford Museum in Greenfield Village in Detroit.

Above, the 1961 Lincoln Presidential limousine at
 the Henry Ford Museum. Note the changes to the top.

After the assassination, the Lincoln was re-fit with armor and had the top modified with a permanent one so that it was no longer a convertible. The 1961 Lincoln, during the Kennedy years, had previously been modified with a 1962 Lincoln Continental grille. The car was equipped with a removable "bubble top" that wasn't used in Dallas. President Lyndon Johnson rarely used the car during his White House years. It was retired during the Carter Administration.

While the 1962 grille is still on the car, the front bumper on the car during the Nixon Administration and today is a different one. Also, the limousine had been repainted black. It was a dark blue during the Kennedy years.

Above, President and Mrs. Nixon greet the crowd in the
 Century Plaza Hotel's parking lot on September 27, 1972.

Below, the Limousine in front of the crowd at the Century Plaza Hotel. I am at the arrow.



When Nixon was first inaugurated as president in 1969, a new presidential Lincoln limousine awaited him. It went into service in the waning months of the Johnson Administration.

It is interesting that the limousine I saw President and Mrs. Nixon riding in was the same one that President Kennedy was killed in.  The limousine had the Secret Service code designation of SS 100 X.

UPDATE (10/18/09): A friend, attorney Tom Cotrel, sent me this photo link of the limousine's display sign:

http://www.geocities.com/tcotrel/im000511.jpg

Apollo 11: 40 Years Ago This July 16

Above, the offical patch design for the Apollo 11 moon mission.

July 16 will mark the fortieth anniversary of one of man’s greatest achievements: the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Those who were alive then will never forget "Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed" and "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."*

Above, the Apollo 11 astronauts: Mission Commander Neil Armstrong, Columbia (command module) pilot Michael Collins and Eagle pilot (lunar module) Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.

It was on July 16, 1969 that a Saturn V rocket was launched at the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins to the moon. This mission fulfilled President Kennedy’s goal of “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.”

Above, Apollo 11 is launched atop a Saturn V launch vehicle.

It was a good year to be fifteen years old, as I was at the time. I was always a big fan of the U.S. Space Program (it is the only worthwhile government program we have, in my opinion). It was a month before the Woodstock rock festival. The launch date was on my grandmother’s 69th birthday.

Above, former President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson are joined by Vice President Spiro Agnew at the launch.

The command module was called "Columbia" and the lunar module was named "Eagle." Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon in Eagle while Collins remained in moon orbit in Columbia. The actual landing site was at the Sea of Tranquility. The landing platform of Eagle is still there. The capsule portion of Columbia is now at the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

Twenty years ago, the Arts and Entertainment cable channel ran a series of programs on the 20th anniversary “as it happened.” Hopefully, they will re-play these programs this year. Fortunately, I videotaped these programs. My two-year-old daughter sat on my lap and absorbed these programs with fascination. It is hard to believe that 20 years have passed since then. It is even harder to believe that 40 years have passed. That’s when one realizes how old they are. I remember the launch and the live television broadcast from the moon’s surface. Practically the whole world was glued to their televisions sets that night (with the exception of a few communist countries). Those were exciting days.

Above, ghostly black & white images were broadcast live from the moon.

This is one anniversary that we should all look back on and celebrate.

Above, following splashdown, the Apollo 11 crew is welcomed back by President Richard Nixon on the USS Hornet.

Above, spectacular images, such as this one of astronaut Aldrin on the moon were shown once the many rolls of film were developed.

*This is what people heard. It was intended for Neil Armstrong to say, "That's one small step for a man..." The "a" had been left out possibly due to Armstrong's flubbing of the line. See Snopes.