CBII_v_bw_o_n (ca. 1964/65, unnumbered press photo)
“This candid shot of astronaut Charles Bassett was taken by former Chronicle photographer Art Uhlmann as a group of space trainees were returning from a stint on the desert near Hazen, Nev., last July. Uhlmann used a 35mm Nikon with a 180mm lens, shooting at 1/250th at f16.”
The above is a compilation of the two newspaper clippings affixed to the verso.
Even better & accurate (along with a similar photo in color), courtesy of Ed Hengeveld, via the collectSPACE website:
“Group 3 astronaut Charlie Bassett during desert survival training at Stead Air Force Base and Carson Sink in Nevada, August 10-14, 1964.”
At:
www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum40/HTML/000720.html
All photographs of Charlie Bassett, seemingly always with an infectious & ready smile, often engaged in something “neat”, exude a natural charisma & confidence. I think he would’ve been one of the great ‘characters’, much like Pete Conrad. What a tragedy.
In fact, per user “hlbjr”, as part of the discussion at the above link:
“This picture really has a lot of personality. I've talked to a few of the Group 2 and Group 3 astronauts, and they all said that Bassett would have been a star had he not been killed in the T-38 crash in St. Louis. They thought a lot of him.”
Undisputed confirmation (if accurate) of the above:
“According to chief astronaut Deke Slayton's autobiography, he chose Bassett for Gemini 9 because he was "strong enough to carry" both himself and See.”
That’s saying a lot - coming from Slayton - who I believe was a no shit/no frills guy.
The above at/from:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bassett
Credit: Wikipedia
Additional interesting reading:
pvtimes.com/news/apollo-astronauts-conducted-desert-survi...
Credit: Pahrump Valley Times website
CBII_v_bw_o_n (ca. 1964/65, unnumbered press photo)
“This candid shot of astronaut Charles Bassett was taken by former Chronicle photographer Art Uhlmann as a group of space trainees were returning from a stint on the desert near Hazen, Nev., last July. Uhlmann used a 35mm Nikon with a 180mm lens, shooting at 1/250th at f16.”
The above is a compilation of the two newspaper clippings affixed to the verso.
Even better & accurate (along with a similar photo in color), courtesy of Ed Hengeveld, via the collectSPACE website:
“Group 3 astronaut Charlie Bassett during desert survival training at Stead Air Force Base and Carson Sink in Nevada, August 10-14, 1964.”
At:
www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum40/HTML/000720.html
All photographs of Charlie Bassett, seemingly always with an infectious & ready smile, often engaged in something “neat”, exude a natural charisma & confidence. I think he would’ve been one of the great ‘characters’, much like Pete Conrad. What a tragedy.
In fact, per user “hlbjr”, as part of the discussion at the above link:
“This picture really has a lot of personality. I've talked to a few of the Group 2 and Group 3 astronauts, and they all said that Bassett would have been a star had he not been killed in the T-38 crash in St. Louis. They thought a lot of him.”
Undisputed confirmation (if accurate) of the above:
“According to chief astronaut Deke Slayton's autobiography, he chose Bassett for Gemini 9 because he was "strong enough to carry" both himself and See.”
That’s saying a lot - coming from Slayton - who I believe was a no shit/no frills guy.
The above at/from:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bassett
Credit: Wikipedia
Additional interesting reading:
pvtimes.com/news/apollo-astronauts-conducted-desert-survi...
Credit: Pahrump Valley Times website