MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2015 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Patterson, DeLano, Eure, Bennett, Read, Guice, Haney, Moak, Warren, Williams-Barnes, Willis, Formby
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE DISTINGUISHED EXPLORATORY CAREER, COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP AND MERITORIOUS SERVICE OF ASTRONAUT FRED WALLACE HAISE, JR.
WHEREAS, Fred Wallace Haise, Jr., born in Biloxi, Mississippi, on November 14, 1933, is a space trailblazer and heroic American icon, and through his zealous involvement and work with the INFINITY visitor center project at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, he inspires current and future generations to follow the mighty footprints he left and continue the great American space tradition, exploring the unchartered frontier and increasing the repertoire of knowledge on those galaxies that are light years away; and
WHEREAS, upon graduating from Biloxi High School in Biloxi, Mississippi, and Perkinston Junior College with an associate of arts degree, Mr. Haise, curious about the twinkling and movements transpiring outside of Earth's spheres, received a bachelor of science degree with honors in aeronautical engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1959, an honorary doctorate of science from Western Michigan University in 1970, and a professional master's degree in Class 24 from Harvard Business School in 1972; and
WHEREAS, in October 1952, Mr. Haise joined the ranks of an elect fraternity of soldiers who patriotically risk their lives to defend the freedoms all Americans enjoy as a Naval Aviation Cadet at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, and during his distinguished military service, he amassed 9,300 hours of flight time, including 6,200 hours diving and soaring above the clouds in powerful jets; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Haise valiantly served the United States in numerous pilot positions, including as a United States Marine Corps fighter pilot assigned to VMF-533 and 114 at the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina, a tactics and all weather flight instructor in the United States Navy Advanced Training Command at the Naval Air Auxiliary Station in Kingsville, Texas, a fighter interceptor pilot with the 185th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, a tactical fighter pilot with the United States Air Force and chief of the 164th Standardization-Evaluation Flight of the 164th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Mansfield, Ohio; and
WHEREAS, before his illustrious career transgressed from elite fighter pilot to astronaut extraordinaire, Mr. Haise was a research pilot at the NASA Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and from September 1959 to March 1963, he was a research pilot at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, where he authored the following published papers: a NASA TND, entitled "An Evaluation of the Flying Qualities of 7 General-Aviation Aircraft"; NASA TND 3380, "Use of Aircraft for Zero Gravity Environment, May 1966"; SAE Business Aircraft Conference Paper, entitled "An Evaluation of General-Aviation Aircraft Flying Qualities, March 30-April 1, 1966"; and a paper delivered at the Tenth Symposium of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, entitled "A Quantitative/Qualitative Handling Qualities Evaluation of 7 General-Aviation Aircraft, 1966"; and
WHEREAS, from April 1973 to January 1976, Mr. Haise was a technical assistant to the Manager of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Project, and from June through October 1977, he was commander of one of the two 2-man crews who piloted the critical space shuttle approach and landing test flights; and
WHEREAS, chosen by NASA in April 1966 to become one of its nineteen astronauts, Mr. Haise logged 142 hours and 54 minutes of zero-gravity space flight time while serving as a backup lunar module pilot for the Apollo 8 and 11 missions, a backup spacecraft commander for the Apollo 16 mission and the lunar module pilot on Apollo 13; and
WHEREAS, during the week of April 11-17, 1970, while piloting the infamous lunar module Apollo 13, which was scheduled to complete a ten-day mission for the first landing on the hilly, upland Fra Mauro region of the moon, Mr. Haise's flight was plagued with disaster as the original flight plan had to be modified en route to the moon when the service module's cryogenic oxygen system exploded approximately 55 hours into the flight; and
WHEREAS, the ultimate example of coolness under pressure, Mr. Haise and fellow crewmen, James A. Lovell (spacecraft commander) and John L. Swigert (command module pilot), working closely with Houston ground controllers, quickly converted their lunar module "Aquarius" into an effective lifeboat, which conserved both electrical power and water in sufficient supply to assure their safety and survival while they negotiated a perilous orbit around the moon and returned to earth; and
WHEREAS, the crew members were dubbed heroes, as completion of the mission without loss of life was hailed as a "successful failure" and continues to be regarded as one of NASA's most dramatic yet phenomenal accomplishments; and
WHEREAS, because of his dedicated military service and brilliant astronautical achievements, Mr. Haise has received many prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal for Freedom in 1970, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Haley Astronautics Award in 1971, the American Astronautical Society Flight Achievement Award in 1970 and 1977, the City of New York Gold Medal in 1970, the City of Houston Medal for Valor in 1970, the Jeff Davis Award in 1970, the Mississippi Distinguished Civilian Service Medal in 1970, the American Defense Ribbon, the Society of Experimental Test Pilot's Ray E. Tenhoff Award in 1966, the A.B. Honts Trophy as the outstanding graduate of Class 64A from the Aerospace Research Pilot School in 1964, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1978, the Johnson Space Center Special Achievement Award in 1978, the Soaring Society of America's Certificate of Achievement Award in 1978, the General Thomas D. White Space Trophy for 1977 in 1978, the Society of Experimental Test Pilot's Iven C. Kincheloe Award in 1978 and the Air Force Association's David C. Schilling Award in 1978; and
WHEREAS, when Mr. Haise resigned from NASA in June 1979, he became Vice President of the Space Programs at Grumman Aerospace Corporation, and during his retirement, he joined the INFINITY effort, which was moving the visitor center and education initiatives offsite, and has been personally and passionately involved in it, devoting countless hours to the endeavors and pledging sizable personal contributions to ensure its success; and
WHEREAS, characterized as "a living example of what you can do in life if you dream big and dare to try amazing things," Mr. Haise was recognized in 2009 for his ongoing contributions to space exploration when NASA honored him with the agency's renowned Ambassador of Exploration Award; and
WHEREAS, as President of Grumman Technical Services, Inc., located at Titusville, Florida, and Northrop Worldwide Aircraft Services at Lawton, Oklahoma, Mr. Haise imparts his cardinal guidance to the employees, and the great State of Mississippi benefits daily from the wisdom he bestows upon its citizens; and
WHEREAS, when he is not introducing the world to the intricacies of outer space or inspiring young people to follow their dreams, Mr. Haise is active as a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society and the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP), a member of Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Gamma Tau, and Phi Theta Kappa and an honorary member of the National WWII Glider Pilots Association; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Haise is married to the lovely F. Patt Price, who has been a pillar of support to him throughout their marriage, and the two have four wonderfully delightful children; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend the tireless devotion to discovering the unknown and majestic universe and honor the ardent vow to impeccable service that Mr. Fred Wallace Haise, Jr., bestowed upon the citizens of Mississippi as an American hero and space pioneer:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the distinguished exploratory career, courageous leadership and meritorious service of Astronaut Fred Wallace Haise, Jr., and extend to him sincere wishes for continued success and joy in all of his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Astronaut Fred Wallace Haise, Jr., and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.