[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 125 (Thursday, September 16, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7171-S7172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL THOMAS PATTEN STAFFORD

 Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, today I pay tribute to retired 
U.S. Air Force LTG Thomas Patten Stafford, a former National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration astronaut and the first U.S. 
general officer to travel into space, being one of only 24 people to 
fly to the Moon. A command pilot in both the Air Force and NASA, 
General Stafford gave a lifetime of service to the Nation in space 
exploration, logging multiple flights into space to further our 
understanding and capabilities in space exploration. As one of the 
pioneers of our country's space program, General Stafford established 
protocols, procedures, and even a few records, that are still present 
in today's contemporary space programs and operations. He has been a 
national treasure and an unsung hero, willingly taking on the 
challenges associated with our innate fascination with what lay beyond 
our terrestrial home.
  General Stafford graduated with honors from the U.S. Naval Academy in 
1952 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He 
attended pilot training at Connally Air Force Base, Waco, TX, in 1953 
and after completing advanced interceptor training was assigned to his 
first tactical duty station at Ellsworth Air Force Base, Rapid City, 
SD, as a pilot with the 54th Flight Interceptor Squadron with the 
mission of planning for and executing the air defense of the United 
States. It was in 1955 that General Stafford received an overseas 
assignment to Hahn Air Base, Germany, where he joined the 496th Fighter 
Interceptor Squadron, at the tip of the spear as part of the United 
States defense of Europe during the Cold War. At the time, the 496th 
flew F-86D model aircraft, known as the ``Sabre Dog.'' It was a 
transonic jet, all-weather interceptor designed to intercept Soviet 
attack and bomber aircraft. It was during this time that General 
Stafford developed and honed his flying abilities and understanding of 
flight operations and performance testing, which would prove vital to 
his influence over our Nation's space program and guarantee many 
successes in those endeavors.
  In 1962, General Stafford was selected among the second group of 
astronauts to participate in Projects Gemini and Apollo, the two fabled 
national space programs that epitomize our country's tremendous quest 
for space exploration. In December 1965, General Stafford piloted 
Gemini VI, the first rendezvous in space, thus developing and proving 
techniques for space rendezvous that would be critical for future 
operations. In June 1966, he commanded Gemini IX and demonstrated a 
rendezvous technique that would be used in the Apollo missions to the 
Moon. And because of this expertise, he headed the mission planning 
analysis and software development responsibilities for the astronaut 
group for Project Apollo.
  The most pivotal piece to this was his development and implementation 
of the techniques a pilot would use to manually fly the Saturn booster 
into orbit and the descent and ascent to and from the Moon's surface. 
All of this culminated with his command of the Apollo 10 mission in May 
1969, when General Stafford personally performed the first lunar module 
rendezvous around the Moon and the entire lunar landing mission except 
for the actual landing.
  It was with this expertise that General Stafford assumed the role of 
Deputy Director of Flight Crew Operations at the NASA Manned Space 
Flight Center, where he was responsible for the planning and 
implementation of programs for the astronaut group and all aircraft 
operations. General Stafford's time with NASA culminated with his 
fourth space flight as the Apollo commander of the Apollo-Soyuz Test 
Project mission in 1975. This was a joint space flight with the Soviet 
Union that culminated in the historic first meeting in space between 
American Astronauts and Soviet Cosmonauts.
  General Stafford was the first member of his Naval Academy Class of 
1952 to pin on the first, second and third stars of a general officer. 
He flew six rendezvous in space, logged over 507 hours in space flight 
and wore the Air Force Command Pilot Astronaut Wings. In his life time 
he has flown over 127 different types of aircraft and helicopters and 
four different types of spacecraft. And in his later years in the Air 
Force, General Stafford was personally involved in the development of 
two of our most critical Air Force stealth aircraft: the F-117A Stealth 
Fighter and the B-2 Stealth Bomber.
  Though General Stafford retired from the Air Force in 1979, his 
efforts in our country's space program continued. In his post 
retirement period, General Stafford continued to influence our efforts 
in space, chairing independent think tank teams focused on developing a 
30 year roadmap for both Presidents Bush and Clinton for returning and 
inhabiting the Moon and extending our exploration efforts to Mars. And 
he currently sits as the Chairman of the NASA Advisory Council Task 
Force on International Space Station Operational Readiness and the 
cochairman

[[Page S7172]]

of the Stafford-Covey Space Shuttle Return to Flight Task Group.
  General Stafford is a true American hero; an amazing testament to the 
spirit and the selflessness of the American public servant. There are 
very few that have obtained the level of historic influence as he has, 
leaving behind a true legacy for all of us to follow. General Stafford 
celebrates his 80th birthday this Friday, September 17, 2010. There is 
a lot to be said for 80 years of life that have seen some two-thirds of 
that spent in the service to our Nation. I, for one, take my hat off to 
a great national icon and applaud him for what he has done for this 
great nation. On behalf of Congress and the United States of America, I 
thank General Stafford and his family for their lifelong commitment, 
sacrifice, and contribution to this great Nation and I wish him a happy 
80th birthday with many more to come.

                          ____________________