CARRIER DECK; ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE ON CARRIERS; CAPSULE HANDED ABOARD.




Initials



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Background: FRANK BORMAN AND JAMES LOVELL - WHO HAD SPENT MORE TIME IN SPACE THAN ANYONE ELSE - SPLASHED DOWN IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) ONLY NINE MILES FROM THEIR RECOVERY SHIP, THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER WASP. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES THE BEARDED ASTRONAUTS HAD BEEN TAKEN BY HELICOPTER TO THE CARRIER'S DECK AND WERE WALKING ON WOBBLY LEGS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO WEEKS.

GEMINI SEVEN SPLASHED DOW AT 1406 G.M.T., JUST 13 DAYS, 18 HOURS AND 36 MINUTES AFTER LIFTOFF FROM CAPE KENNEDY ON DECEMBER 5. IN THEIR LONG STAY ALOFT, LOVELL AND BORMAN BROKE EVERY SPACE ENDURANCE RECORD. THEY HAD BEEN IN ORBIT LONGER THAN ALL OTHER U.S. MANNED FLIGHTS COMBINED. THEY WALKED STIFFLY AS THEY CROSSED THE CARRIER'S DECK ON THEIR WAY TO THE SICK BAY FOR THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF INTENSIVE MEDICAL CHECKS. ON THE BASIS OF VISUAL CHECK OVER, DOCTORS SAID BOTH MEN WERE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.

GEMINI SIX SPACEMEN, WALTET SHIRRA AND TOM STAFFORD STAYED IN THEIR CAPSULE UNTIL IT WAS HOISTED ONTO THE RECOVERY SHIP. BUT LOVELL AND BORMAN REQUESTED THAT THEY BE RETRIEVED FROM THEIR CAPSULE STRAIGHT AWAY. TWO WEEKS WITHIN ITS CRAMPED CONFINES HAD BEEN ENOUGH FOR THEM.