RIP Robert White

[REWahoo]

Most of you probably never heard of Robert White, a pioneer in modern aviation and space flight who died yesterday at the age of 85. When astronauts Alan Shepard, Virgil Grissom, John Glenn and Scott Carpenter were being shot into space in the nose cone of a rocket, White was getting there in a rocket powered aircraft.

Robert White was one of the pilots in Tom Wolfe's book, "The Right Stuff". He had it.

Robert M. White, who made history with a 1962 test flight into space, dies at 85 - latimes.com

 

[CuppaJoe]

I mis-remembered the movie line as "there goes a man":

unknown: Is that a man?
Jack Ridley: You damn right it is.

 

[samclem]

Combat missions in WW-II (shot down and held as POW), a combat t

What a guy.
Flew in WW-II (shot down and held as POW), a combat tour in Korea, 70 F-105 missions in Vietnam, ran the F-15 SPO office during the development of that tremendous aircraft--oh, and an astronaut and a real test pilot.

Thanks for posting the note, Rewahoo.

 

[check6]

He was a real hero of mine and as a kid and I followed the X-15 program closely. Inspired me to join the AF.

 

[Orchidflower]

Neat guy...but he "died at an assisted living facility?" Proves we are all just mortal I guess...you don't normally think of a guy like this dying at an assisted living facility really. Guess this means: we all get old someday...darn!

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

Neat guy...but he "died at an assisted living facility?" Proves we are all just mortal I guess...you don't normally think of a guy like this dying at an assisted living facility really. Guess this means: we all get old someday...darn!

Strange thought, but true. My grandfather is about to turn 99 and just had a debilitating seizure a month ago. When I visited him this past weekend at his nursing hime, he told me in a soft voice:

"I used to make fun of people who complained they were old. Now I'm the one who's old...."

(Until his recent seizure, he looked and acted like a man 20 years younger. Now he's just a shell)

 

[Orchidflower]

Yeah, I'm seeing this every day with my aged 91 y.o. mother. This was a woman who was a runway model in the '40's, beautiful and refined. Now I look over and there's this old woman snoozing up a storm with her mouth open.....gads zooks! And to think: Someday this will be us!!!

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

Yeah, I'm seeing this every day with my aged 91 y.o. mother. This was a woman who was a runway model in the '40's, beautiful and refined. Now I look over and there's this old woman snoozing up a storm with her mouth open.....gads zooks! And to think: Someday this will be us!!!

Yup. Not to derail the thread, but people like my grandfather, your mother and Robert White should inspire us to do something DIFFERENT with our lives before it's too late (some might argue it is never too late, but that's another subject altogether).

Although I'm a relatively new dad (5 month old), I feel my life is stuck in a rut. Solid job with great pay, beautiful wife and daughter, plenty of cash in the proverbial mattress, etc... but something is missing. I just went to my younger brother's wedding (3 years difference) and looked at him and his friends in the wedding pictures. They all look so young, energetic and full of life, while I look OLD. Perhaps that's what happens when you have kids, but part of me doesn't think so. I spend money mostly on "necessities" and on other people (primarily my wife - she loves presents), but very little on myself. Buying things to make oneself happy is a fool's game, so I won't go down that road. So what gives? Am I going through a mid-life crisis at age 39?

 

[REWahoo]

I feel my life is stuck in a rut. ... but something is missing.. So what gives? Am I going through a mid-life crisis at age 39?

YouTube - Peggy Lee:Is That All There Is?

 

[Nords]

Although I'm a relatively new dad (5 month old)
... but something is missing.
... while I look OLD. Perhaps that's what happens when you have kids, but part of me doesn't think so.
So what gives? Am I going through a mid-life crisis at age 39?

Yes. It's called "sustained sleep deprivation" and the only long-term cure is when they leave the nest.

Or so I hope...

 

[nphx]

Thank for the post - its nice to be introduced to achiever who made a meaningful contribution to where we are today.

 

[Koolau]

So what gives? Am I going through a mid-life crisis at age 39?

If you've made it to 39 without your first MLC, you're doing better than many men. I seem to have one now about every 5 years or so. (Of course, at my age, it's a bit of a misonomer.) This, too shall pass. It does sound as if you are asking some important questions. They do need to be answered - just not all at one sitting. ER may be one answer, but it certainly isn't the only answer. Life is a journey, not a destination. You'll get through this - ask those of us who've been there - done that - got the T-shirt!