FRED W. HAISE JR. - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 01/04/1974 - HFSID 309700

FRED W. HAISE JR.
The NASA astronaut who escaped the near-disaster of Apollo 13 unscathed, describes injuries he suffered in a plane crash four years later, expressing his gratitude at having survived
Autograph Letter Signed: “Fred Haise”. 1p, 8x10½. January 4, 1974. Seabrook, Texas. In full: "Thanks so much for remembering me with your silk screened envelopes. And I can't tell you how glad it is to hear of your improved health - it really is a Happy New Year. I have a little better appreciation for a physical struggle related to health myself now. I have been blessed all of my 40 years with perfect health. Then this past August I crashed an aircraft and incurred 55% burn injury. I was in the hospital for 2½ months. Am now back at work half days working on Space Shuttle. By summer of 1974 I should be fully recovered. So the Good Lord has been kind to both of us. Best wishes". FRED WALLACE HAISE JR. (b. 1933) was one of the 19 astronauts selected by NASA in 1966. Haise, who was a lunar module back up crew member for Apollo 8 and Apollo 11, and spacecraft commander backup for Apollo 16, was also the Lunar Module Pilot on the aborted Apollo 13 mission in 1970. In 1977, he commanded the space shuttle Enterprise five times as part of the Approach and Landing Test Program at Edwards Air Force Base. After retiring from NASA in June 1979, Haise joined Northrop Grumman Technical Services (GTS), serving as Vice President (from 1979), President of GTS (from 1983) and President of the Space Station Program Support Division (from 1987). Address label affixed to the lower left-hand corner. Normal mailing folds. Otherwise, fine condition.