Smithsonian Channel, Apollo's Moon Shot

ToraToraTora | 20:12 Mon 08th Jul 2019 | Science

11 Answers

At 31 mins in they are covering Apollo 8, Gene Kranz is wearing a dark red vest. It says in many places, including his book, that since at least the Gemini Missions Gene always ran the White team and thus his wife made him a white vest, so can anyone explain this anomaly?

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ABerrant

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On page 240 of "Failure Is Not An Option" Kranz writes that during Apollo 8 he occasionally wore vests of each team colour during their watch....

22:04 Mon 08th Jul 2019

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jno

that people don't always wear what their wives tell them to? Sorry, haven't seen the programme, but a man might have more than one vest.

Calibax

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/gene-kranzs-apollo-vest-9045125/
(Marta Kranz also made colorful vests for her husband to wear when celebrating splashdowns. At the successful conclusion of Apollo 13, however, relief replaced celebration; the white vest stayed on.)
Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/gene-kranzs-apollo-vest-9046125/

Marta Kranz also made colorful vests for her husband to wear when celebrating splashdowns. At the successful conclusion of Apollo 13, however, relief replaced celebration; the white vest stayed on
Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/gene-kranzs-apollo-vest-9045125/

Marta Kranz also made colorful vests for Gene to wear during splashdowns...

Calibax

^Sorry, don't know what happened with the cut and paste there!

ToraToraTora

Question Author

calibax; "(Marta Kranz also made colorful vests for her husband to wear when celebrating splashdowns. " - yes I know but this was mid mission. I am a student of the Space program and I've read lots of books and seen lots of programs, this is the first time I have ever seen or heard of this.

ABerrant

The Apollo 8 mission was the first time Gene Kranz was designated FCD chief, an administrative role effectively rendering him an observer of the teams in his charge.

The three flight directors were Clifford E. Charlesworth (Green team), Glynn Lunney (Black team), and Milton Windler (Maroon team).

ABerrant

On page 240 of "Failure Is Not An Option" Kranz writes that during Apollo 8 he occasionally wore vests of each team colour during their watch.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=slQZ3JOUSKQC&pg=PA239&lpg=PA239&source=bl&ots=qBAseKjw_2&;sig=ACfU3U13CcyKjkKoOEGbsv5bzCClMDgzOA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvrsOypKbjAhXDoFwKHdQVDgwQ6AEwE3oECC4QAQ#v=onepage&q=green%20vest&;f=false

ToraToraTora

Question Author

thanks AB, I have actually read his book and probably should have remembered that myself. Yes of course by A8 he was FCD Chief so that makes sense now. Many thanks, BA.