May 5 1969
From The Space Library
At dedication ceremony in Houston for Apollo 8 stamp, Postmaster General Winton M. Blount said: "The fact that this is the fifth stamp the Post Office Department has issued commemorating accomplishments of the space program signifies the extent to which space exploration has captured the imagination of the American people. . . . The nation's concerted effort to reach the moon and outer space reflects two traditional aspects of our national character. One is scientific: the search for truth, knowledge, discovery. The other is psychological; the strong urge for adventure-an urge kindled by the unknown. We are all explorers at heart. The space program has made an entire nation explorers in fact. The flight of Apollo 8 around the moon and back was perhaps the greatest technological achievement of man to date. Certainly it was the most dramatic." (Text)
NASA announced Bernard Moritz, Assistant Administrator for Special Contracts Negotiations and Review, would serve as Acting Associate Administrator for Organization and Management since Harold B. Finger had assumed new duties with HUD. (NASA Ann)
Senate confirmed nomination of Philip N. Whittaker, former NASA Assistant Administrator for Industry Affairs, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. (CR, 5/5/69, 54668)
U.S. returned 14-in metal sphere from Soviet spacecraft to U.S.S.R. under terms of space rescue treaty. Later, State Dept. spokesman said object-gas storage tank-was washed up on Alaskan coast in late 1968. Delay in return was due partly to efforts in identifying it. (Reuters, W Post, 5/8/69, A25)
In letter to Attorney General, Sen. William F. Proxmire (D-Wis.) asked that Justice Dept investigate possible violations of Federal law in handling of Government's contract with Lockheed Aircraft Corp. for production of C-5A aircraft and urged that DOD immediately freeze funding for C-5A. (Proxmire Off; Nossiter, W Post, 5/6/69, A3)
Jerald R. Kubat, former Director of NASA Manned Space Flight Program Control Office, died in Seattle, Washington. He had joined Apollo Program Office in 1964. (NASA Hq WB, 5/12/69, 5)
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