Remarks at an Award Ceremony at the LBJ Ranch Marking the Conclusion of the Gemini Space Program
Mr. Webb, Dr. Seamans, Dr. Mueller, Dr. Debus, Dr. Gilruth, Captain Lovell, Colonel Aldrin, distinguished guests:
I welcome this opportunity this morning to express the gratitude of the Nation to the more than 25,000 men and women in government, industry, and the universities who have directly participated in the Gemini program.
The splendid performance of man and machine in Gemini has been a product of the American system at its best.
We are especially proud that our program has been carried out openly. Millions of people around the world have watched on television as the Titan rockets took the Gemini astronauts skyward.
People around the world have heard the astronauts talk from space to their home base here in Texas. They have heard of difficulties overcome and dangers averted by skill, courage, sound planning, and the mirades of modern technology.
In 10 Gemini flights we acquired 1,940 man-hours of pioneering and pace-setting flight experience--1,940 man-hours of experience compared with the 53 gained in the Mercury program.
We proved that men can live and work well in space for twice as long as it takes us to fly to the moon and back.
We mastered the techniques of rendezvous and docking a manned spacecraft during orbital flight.
For the first time anywhere in space we assembled a new vehicle from two orbiting components, the Gemini and the Agena-and we used the power of the Agena to fly this space-built vehicle higher and faster than man has ever flown before.
Gemini has prepared, and prepared well, for the more ambitious Apollo flights that are to come.
I might also take this opportunity in this hour of success to add a word of caution and a word of promise. The Gemini spacecraft was an outgrowth of Mercury. Both Mercury and Gemini were projects of our civilian space efforts, but they utilized the Agena, the Titan, and the Atlas boosters developed by the Department of Defense.
The Apollo program which follows is much more complicated. It has more elements of a yet unproven capability, and will use the larger Saturn boosters developed especially for civilian manned flight programs.
The months ahead will not be easy, as we reach toward the moon. We must broaden and extend our knowledge, based on the increased power of these mighty new boosters. But with Gemini as the forerunner, I am confident that we will overcome the difficulties and achieve another success.
Apollo will make America truly a space faring Nation. The three-man Apollo is the certain forerunner of the multimanned spaceships of the not too distant future-ships that will bear the experiments and some day the experimenters of many nations-ships that will bear the hopes of all men.
On the way to the moon, we are also finding a way to a better world.
These are stirring times. All of you who have contributed to the brilliant success of Gemini have left your mark of excellence on this age in which we live. You have helped to steer the course of history in the direction that we want it to go.
Your President and your country for whom he speaks thank you this morning very, very much.
Note: The President spoke at 12:15 p.m. at the LBJ Ranch, Johnson City, Texas. In his opening words, he referred to James E. Webb, Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Associate Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Dr. George E. Mueller, Associate Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for Manned Space Flight, Dr. Kurt H. Debus, Director, John F. Kennedy Space Center, Cape Kennedy, Fla., Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, Director, Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas, and to Maj. Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., and Capt. James A. Lovell, Jr., astronauts on the Gemini 12 space flight.
On the same day, the White House made public the names of the recipients of the NASA awards as follows:
Exceptional Service Awards were presented to Capt. James A. Lovell, Jr., USN, for "outstanding contributions to space flight and engineering as command pilot of Gemini 12, the final flight of the highly successful Gemini program," and to Lt. Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, for "outstanding contributions to space flight and engineering as pilot of Gemini 12."
Distinguished Service Medals were awarded to Dr. George E. Mueller for "outstanding contributions to United States Manned Space Flight as Director of the Gemini program in addition to directing the entire manned space flight program," and to Charles W. Mathews for "outstanding contributions to United States Manned Space Flight as manager of the Gemini program."
Maj. Gen. Vincent G. Huston, USAF, was awarded the Outstanding Leadership Medal for "significant contributions in directing the efforts of the Eastern Test Range of the United States Air Force in providing the critical launch and range operations support and in coordinating and directing the total efforts of the Department of Defense Operational Support Forces for the Gemini Program."
Recipients of Public Service Awards were William B. Bergen, president of the Martin Company, Division of the Martin-Marietta Corp., Daniel J. Houghton, president, Lockheed Aircraft Corp., Roger Lewis, president and chairman of General Dynamics Corp., and James Smith McDonnell, Jr., chairman, chief executive officer, founder, and director of McDonnell Aircraft Corp., all cited for outstanding contributions as key leaders of the "government-industry team responsible for the exceptional success of the Gemini program;" Walter F. Burke, vice president general manager, Spacecraft and Missiles, McDonnell Aircraft Corp., cited for "outstanding contributions to the Gemini Program in managing and directing the industrial team that developed and produced the Gemini spacecraft, and for suggesting the use of a dual spacecraft rendezvous as a means for initial demonstration of rendezvous capability;" Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, who "was responsible for technical direction of Research and Development of the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft;" and Dr. Kurt H. Debus, for supervision of the "successful launching of more than 150 missiles and space vehicles" and the successful testing, readying, and launching of 12 Gemini missions.
Lyndon B. Johnson, Remarks at an Award Ceremony at the LBJ Ranch Marking the Conclusion of the Gemini Space Program Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/238309
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