Artesia grad Edgar Mitchell has died

[gitrdone]

He was the 6th man to walk on the moon. Graduated from Artesia High in 1948.
Learned to fly at Artesia airport with Tom Brown and got his license when he
was 16. Artesia had a parade for him after he came home from the moon. Got to
meet him at Bulldog Bowl. RIP Edgar.

[crispysdad]

I remember ALL of that. He launched on Apollo 14 on January 31, 1971 with Alan Sheppard and Stuart Roosa. He was the 6th man to walk on the moon. I remember the parade that was held down Main Street Artesia where he was the guest of honor. I was there with my parents. The highway between Artesia and Carlsbad was designated as the Edgar Mitchell Highway at that time, and signs were erected just south of Artesia and just north of Carlsbad that said...Edgar Mitchell Hwy. After a while those signs came down....or fell down....or whatever....and the Edgar Mitchell Highway designation was kind of forgotten about for a long time. BUT, I just noticed within the last year or so that they are back up!!! I remember that he spoke at the high school auditorium also. And he did play basketball at AHS, so he was most definitely an Artesia Bulldog.

TRUE STORY..........he WAS very good friends with Tom Brown of Artesia. AND my aunt was working for Tom Brown during that time. When my aunt was introduced to Edgar Mitchell she gave him an Artesia Bulldog Flag to be planted on the moon. He did accept that Bulldog flag from my aunt, but due to NASA regulations....or something of the sort....that Bulldog flag was never planted on the surface of the moon, unless it was done out of view of the cameras, which I highly doubt. But that Artesia Bulldog flag DID make it on board the Apollo 14 spacecraft and made the trip to the moon...and then the return trip back home. Very few people know about that, but I have an inside source who has told me that it did happen.

[crispysdad]

Somewhere on this rocket is a former Artesia Bulldog.....and an Artesia Bulldog flag. I was 12 years old, but I remember this day like it was yesterday! All of Artesia were glued to their TV sets. It was an amazing time to be in Artesia. Sad that many are too young to know that this ever happened, and all of the excitement that it stirred up here in town.....and sad that others have forgotten.

[gitrdone]

Feb 5, 2016 19:36:52 GMT -7 crispysdad said:

TRUE STORY..........he WAS very good friends with Tom Brown of Artesia. AND my aunt was working for Tom Brown during that time. When my aunt was introduced to Edgar Mitchell she gave him an Artesia Bulldog Flag to be planted on the moon. He did accept that Bulldog flag from my aunt, but due to NASA regulations....or something of the sort....that Bulldog flag was never planted on the surface of the moon, unless it was done out of view of the cameras, which I highly doubt. But that Artesia Bulldog flag DID make it on board the Apollo 14 spacecraft and made the trip to the moon...and then the return trip back home. Very few people know about that, but I have an inside source who has told me that it did happen.

Thanks for sharing Crispy. Very cool. I think he needs to have a statue put up at AHS.

[Mr. Pitch]

Feb 5, 2016 19:36:52 GMT -7 crispysdad said:

I remember ALL of that. He launched on Apollo 14 on January 31, 1971 with Alan Sheppard and Stuart Roosa. He was the 6th man to walk on the moon. I remember the parade that was held down Main Street Artesia where he was the guest of honor. I was there with my parents. The highway between Artesia and Carlsbad was designated as the Edgar Mitchell Highway at that time, and signs were erected just south of Artesia and just north of Carlsbad that said...Edgar Mitchell Hwy. After a while those signs came down....or fell down....or whatever....and the Edgar Mitchell Highway designation was kind of forgotten about for a long time. BUT, I just noticed within the last year or so that they are back up!!! I remember that he spoke at the high school auditorium also. And he did play basketball at AHS, so he was most definitely an Artesia Bulldog.

TRUE STORY..........he WAS very good friends with Tom Brown of Artesia. AND my aunt was working for Tom Brown during that time. When my aunt was introduced to Edgar Mitchell she gave him an Artesia Bulldog Flag to be planted on the moon. He did accept that Bulldog flag from my aunt, but due to NASA regulations....or something of the sort....that Bulldog flag was never planted on the surface of the moon, unless it was done out of view of the cameras, which I highly doubt. But that Artesia Bulldog flag DID make it on board the Apollo 14 spacecraft and made the trip to the moon...and then the return trip back home. Very few people know about that, but I have an inside source who has told me that it did happen.

My parents have always told me this to be true as well.

[bdogfan]

So where is that flag?

[Mr. Pitch]

Like I told crispy, I'm almost sure that flag, which if memory serves correctly was about 5 or 6 inches square, was returned to Artesia. I feel like I've seen it somewhere. Maybe in the museum or the library or the hs library. I wouldn't swear to it though. I know there was a big write up in the ADP about the return visit to Artesia. I think in the article there was a picture of Edgar Mitchell sitting in the field house. I think the article is in an old scrap book at my mom's house. Maybe there is a picture of the flag in the article. Not sure how I know a little bit about this.

[crispysdad]

Feb 6, 2016 10:45:32 GMT -7 Mr. Pitch said:

Like I told crispy, I'm almost sure that flag, which if memory serves correctly was about 5 or 6 inches square, was returned to Artesia. I feel like I've seen it somewhere. Maybe in the museum or the library or the hs library. I wouldn't swear to it though. I know there was a big write up in the ADP about the return visit to Artesia. I think in the article there was a picture of Edgar Mitchell sitting in the field house. I think the article is in an old scrap book at my mom's house. Maybe there is a picture of the flag in the article. Not sure how I know a little bit about this.

As to bdogfan's question about where that flag is today........I am glad that Mr Pitch answered......because I had no idea whatever happened to it.

[GoDogs]

I remember this well. There was an assembly at the auditorium and he gave a little speech, etc.

[Agent Orange]

Great Story, loved hearing it.