6099

Gus Grissom Autograph Letter Signed

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:800.00 - 1,000.00 USD
Gus Grissom Autograph Letter Signed

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Auction Date:2018 Apr 19 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Rare ALS signed “Virgil,” four pages on two sheets, 6.75 x 10, illustrated Southwest-style letterhead, December 2, 1950. Letter to his mother, Cecile King Grissom, in full: "I haven't had much time to write but I decided I'd better get a letter off before you give me up as lost out here in the desert some place. Betty and Scotty made it down here fine. Neither one of them got sick or scared, but you wouldn't expect a son of mine to get air sick would you? I'd got off early that Saturday and a friend loaned me his car so I had the house all (partly anyway) cleaned up and everything ready to start livin' in it. And they got in right on time. I get off every weekend from Saturday noon until 9 o'clock Sunday night, and Betty and Scotty come out to field every evening and I can be with them until about 8 o'clock. Then we are supposed to go study. So I've been able to see her and Scotty every day for a little while anyway. Scottie's just fine, his tooth is coming real fine. You can feel it plenty when he bites on your finger. Betty is OK too, of course. I think Scottie's getting spoiled though with everyone playing with him so much.

I'm going to get a furlough from the 22 Dec until the 2 Jan, but I guess I'll spend it all right here since we can't make it home. I'd like to get home but I guess I'll just have to wait until I graduate in March, then I'll get home for a while. I'm sending some pictures along that we took the other day. Maybe you can tell what a jet looks like from them. My flying is coming along fine here. I'm just about [to] finish the flying that I'm going to have to do in the T–6. I finished all my formation flying this week and now I have about ten hours of instrument flying to put in and I'll have to fly one night. After I get that done I'll be ready for the jet. But we aren't going to start it until after we get back from Christmas furlough. My ground school work is coming along very good. I have the highest average of any Cadet. I have a 99 average. I made a 100 on a Cruise Control final exam last Friday and they told me I was the first Cadet to ever make a 100 on it. I guess the reason I'm doing better is because I'm working at it more. The courses [are] a little harder here than they were at Randolph.

Guess I'll close now, the kid is squealing so I'll try to entertain him for a little while. There's a couple of things I'd like to have sent down if you [can]. I have a pair of dark gray flannel pants I'd like to have and a couple of my colored broad cloth shirts and my gray sweater that you got me for Christmas last year. There's nothing in particular that need for Christmas so why don't you just buy Betty some more clothes or something, she needs clothes bad and I don't need anything in particular right now. Guess I'd better close." Grissom adds a short postscript: "Send the clothes to this number, which is Betty's right address. Box 395A, Chandler, Arizona." In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope, addressed in Grissom's own hand. After graduating early from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in February 1950, Grissom reenlisted in the military and was accepted into the air cadet basic training program at Randolph Air Force Base in Universal City, Texas. A fascinating and extremely early letter from Grissom, then balancing the responsibilities of being a new father while conversely becoming one of the country's top young pilots.