[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 81 (Friday, June 23, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HOMER HICKAM: WEST VIRGINIA'S ROCKET BOY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 22, 2000

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, a few years ago a blockbuster best-seller 
book, originally called ``The Rocket Boys'' was published, and shortly 
thereafter a movie was made based on the book, titled ``October 
Surprise.'' It was a sell-out at bookstores and theaters across the 
Nation.
  This story, written by former NASA engineer from McDowell County, 
West Virginia, was about a boy, his friends, and his weary but 
supportive parents, who was so taken by what he read about NASA's early 
rocket experiments commissioned by the United States Government, that 
he spent his childhood experimenting with homemade rockets
  His name was Homer Hickam, now a retired NASA engineer, who wrote 
``Rocket Boys.''
  On June 21, 2000 I received an official commitment from NASA 
detailing a long-term loan of a model of a U.S. Space Shuttle for 
exhibit in Coalwood, West Virginia, Homer Hickam's hometown.
  I worked closely with NASA officials in this successful effort to 
obtain a display in recognition of the accomplishments and vision of 
Homer Hickam and the ``Rocket Boys'' from Coalwood.
  The display of this U.S. Space Shuttle is a tribute to Homer Hickam, 
his remarkable talent, and his teenaged tenacity in making his dreams 
come true--not only to shoot his own rockets into space as a boy, but 
to take his talents and his dream to NASA itself as a grown man.
  Homer Hickam is an inspiration to our youth--not only in West 
Virginia but the Nation--that their dreams can come true, and that they 
should reach for the stars.
  The U.S. Space Shuttle model will come from the Marshall Space Flight 
Center in Alabama, and will be in place in time for the celebration of 
the Second Annual Rocket Boys Day Festival on June 24, 2000.
  I believe, and the NASA Space officials agree, that this model is 
most appropriate to commemorate Mr. Hickam's work in propulsion, 
spacecraft design, and payload and crew training at the Marshall 
Center.
  After the festival ends, the 13-foot scale model will be on long-term 
display across from the Country Corner Store on Route 16, in the heart 
of Coalwood, West Virginia, across the street from Homer Hickam's 
homeplace.
  For those of you who read the book or saw the movie, you will 
understand the significance of placing this display across from Homer 
Hickam's old homeplace--the homeplace about which Mr. Hickam wrote, got 
a brand new furnace one day when Homer tossed a handful of unknown 
chemicals into the old furnace to see if they had enough explosive 
quality to thrust his next rocket high into the skies over McDowell 
County. They did, his mother got the new furnace she had always wanted, 
and the rest as they say is history.

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