Maybe this is old news, but there were quite a few Aggie Rings sported in the movie Apollo 13. I never noticed that until I watched it today in HD.

Wasn't the guy played by Ed Harris an Ag? I know there was at least one higher up in there that was an Ag and I thought it was him.

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Wasn't the guy played by Ed Harris an Ag?

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Yes... Gerald Griffin!

No, Ed Harris portrayed Gene Kranz (not an Aggie).

Griffin was the ag, Ed Harris did not play Griffin.

[This message has been edited by Karrde (edited 11/27/2006 1:37a).]

Gene Krantz went to Va. Tech.

Sorry for my confusion..........

Rudyjax - It may be possible that Gene Krantz went to Virginia Tech also, but I think you are mixing his bio with that of NASA flight director manager Chris Kraft.

I think you might be right. And I read his book.

Kranz was born in Toledo, Ohio and grew up on a farm that overlooked the Willys-Overland Jeep production plant. His father, a son of a German immigrant and an Army medic during World War I, died in 1940, when Kranz was only seven years old. Kranz graduated from Parks College of Saint Louis University in 1954, and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, completing pilot training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas in 1955. Shortly after receiving his wings, Kranz married Marta Cadena, a daughter of Mexican immigrants who fled from Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. Kranz was sent to South Korea to fly the F-86 Sabre aircraft for patrol operations around the Korean DMZ.

After finishing his tour in Korea, Kranz left the Air Force and went to work for McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, where he assisted with the research and testing of new Surface-to-Air (SAM) and Air-to-Ground missiles for the U.S. Air Force at its research center at Holloman Air Force Base.


[edit] NASA career

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Gerald Griffin

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didn't they introduce him at the last home game...or did they just mention him on the 12th man TV?

yes, Gerald Griffin was introduced at the last home game. I was the only person around me who knew who he was.

and I'm just speculating on this, but there are a few Aggie rings because I assume they used actual Mission Control workers in the film, and NASA has close ties with A&M.

At a risk of being wrong twice on this thread, no, they didn't use acutal NASA people.

just a speculation Rudy