Waiting for the final word. That was the report from Cape Canaveral on May 4th 1961. Ready and waiting was the first American Astronaut to go into space, Alan Shepard. Originally slated for May 6th, the weather was predicted to be good on the 5th and so it was scheduled for takeoff on that date instead and preparations were underway.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world was busily spinning - with news of civil war in Indonesia, status reports on Southeast Asia and word that Jordan's King Hussein had popped the question to a commoner. The commoner being the daughter of a British Army Officer. Fortunately for Jordan the bride in question was also Muslim, so eyes didn't raise all that much.

So here is a newscast fifty years ago today from NBC Radio on May 4th 1961 - complete with commercials for Chevrolet.

[gordon-donate]
Still in fundraising mode.