Astronauts in the Zone
In only one more day, it will have been fifty years since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took their historic steps on the moon. We have several photos in the collection of NASA astronauts training at the Tropic Survival School at Albrook Air Force Base in the Canal Zone, one of which features Aldrin eating boa constrictor.
Do you have any information about astronauts in the Canal Zone?
Buzz Aldrin eating boa constrictor, 1964
Astronaut Walter Schirra reaches for food offered by Air Force instructor H. Morgan Smith. Foreground, from left: Astronauts John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Donald Slayton, Elliot See. Behind Schirra, from left: Astronauts Gus Grissom, Frank Borman, Pete Conrad, Alan Shepard. Undated
John Glenn samples a bite of jungle cooking as Scott Carpenter checks his reaction, 1963
Russel L. Schweickart hacks a canteen from a section of bamboo, 1964
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9 Comments
Mimi Stratford Collins
Wow! I just missed them; left to finish college in 1963-44. 🙁 I do remember meeting the first Peace Corps volunteers when I was cashiering at Balboa Theater 🙂
William Snyder
Ran into them by accident at Gorgas Hospital, couldn’t believe in far off Canal Zone, here were the astronauts. Going to the CZ Jr. College at the time.
Elizabeth Mathews
We weren’t there yet, but my dad went to the Air Force “Jungle Survival School.” Maybe the same.
Robert Baldwin
The Mercury 7 astronauts’ time in the Canal Zone coincided with my father’s (Frank A. Baldwin) tenure as the Panama Canal Company Information Officer. He was responsible for their public and social calendar during their stay. He hosted a party for them at the Tivoli Hotel and a trip on the Las Cruces tour boat. One of my brothers recalls that while on the Las Cruces, several of them jumped off the boat for a swim in the Canal. Another brother confirmed this: “If I remember correctly, they came by our house before going on the Las Cruces. Well, on the boat after a few drinks they decided they wanted to swim across the Canal and they dove off the boat. Dad was frantic, he could just read the headlines Astronauts Drown in Panama Canal.” I remember Walter Schirra coming to our house one day, and while there signing my report card (which, unfortunately, I no longer have). Their visit was a big deal, of course. I remember my father recounting a story about calling a friend of my parents that was single to see if she would go out on a date with someone. She said no. He told her he was one of the astronauts. She said, “I’ll be ready in five minutes!” Living in the Canal Zone was special. In High School, many of us were in the Explorer Scout unit tied to the jungle survival school in Albrook AFB, where the astronauts did part of their training. And those of us in ROTC also got to do jungle warfare training, which soldiers going to Vietnam also underwent.
Carlos Rodgers
Several civilians lucky enough to participate in the Mercury 7 astronauts training sesions and/or reunions, received a token Mercury capsule pin. I still have the one that my father received. Sorry I can´t post its picture here.
Virginia Seng
My Dad was stationed at Albrook AFB and I had the good fortune to be BORN down there during his assignment! One of my parents’ favorite stories was when I was just 6 days old, and my Dad took my Mom (& me!) out to the Officer’s Club for dinner to celebrate my birth. My parents were so surprised when in walked the famed ‘Mercury 7’ astronauts who were down there for Jungle Survival Training! My dad had the chance to go over and speak briefly to them, and several followed him back to their table where my Dad introduced my mom, and then Gus Grissom asked if he could hold me … a tiny little 6 lb 6 oz little baby girl, just a few days old … so of course, my mom handed me over to him! OH, if only my parents had a camera with them – I’d LOVE to have had a picture of that! I’m now a High School Astronomy teacher … and I’m grateful that my Dad always encouraged our interest in Space exploration. He even drove us over to Kennedy Space Center in April 1970 to watch the launch of Apollo 13 … what a great memory for a then-5 year old kid! Thanks, DAD!! 🙂
Kathy Kascher Salmanson
When I was at my graduation party from Balboa High School that was held at the Panama Hilton, I wandered into the bar where Leroy Lewis was playing the mighty Wurlitzer organ. The astronauts were there, enjoying an evening out. I collected autographs on napkins, swizzle sticks and everything I could get. Unfortunately, my Mom eventually threw out my “junk” when I went to college and they moved from Panama to Mexico City.
Allan Hawkins V.
Native Manuel Antonio Zarco was the man who trained all those people.
Connie Zemer Bumgarner
I was just 13 and at Curundu stables when some yelled that the astronauts has just arrived at the jungle survival center. I grabbed a small pad of paper and pen, threw the bridle on my horse, Comanche, and joined the group on horseback and raced to the center. As we approached, the astronauts were boarding a bus. I jumped off my horse and ran on the bus and then it started moving. The astronauts were all smiling and friendly. I got autographs from Neil Armstrong, John Gleen, Alan Shepard and James Lovell. One of them then yelled to the driver that “a kid is still in here,”. The driver stopped the bus and I had to get off. Luckily bus hadn’t driven very far, and it was a short run back to Comanche who was patiently waiting where I had so quickly jumped off, leaving his reins to fall losely to the ground.