Twas the night before Christmas 47 years past

There were hushed voices in the Houston MCC,

All were deliberate and none too fast

I sat at my console next the rest of the Flight Dynamics Team

There on the front row which we affectionately called the Trench

As I sat there studying things like propellant loads, number of jetts for ullage to settle the fuel, etc.,

I formulated the crew’s way home

I then gave my inputs to the computer operator 2 floors below…

Twas the night before Christmas 47 years past

There were hushed voices in the Houston MCC,

All were deliberate and none too fast

I sat at my console next the rest of the Flight Dynamics Team

There on the front row which we affectionately called the Trench

As I sat there studying things like propellant loads, number of jetts for ullage to settle the fuel, etc.,

I formulated the crew’s way home

I then gave my inputs to the computer operator 2 floors below amid the…

A MOST EXCELLENT ADVENTURE  by: Chuck Deiterich

A while back, my friend and former leader, Gene Kranz, gave a speech to the folks at Kingsville Naval Air Station.  As a result, he was invited to tour an aircraft carrier.  Not only that, he could also bring along some friends, of which, I was one.  Humbly, I must admit, we were considered distinguished visitors.

At first, I thought we would fly commercial to a navy base and board a docked…