1.
CU COOPER GARLANDED BY WIFE
0.04

2.
CU COOPER WITH WIFE
0.08

3.
GV CROWDS WAITING
0.10

4.
LV CROWDS, COOPER IN MOTORCADE THROUGH STREET
0.12

5.
SV COOPER AND WIFE IN CAR WAVING
0.25

6.
GV PAN .. CROWDS
0.31

7.
SV COOPER AT MICROPHONE SPEAKING (SILENT)
0.38

8 GV GIRL DANCERS.

0.46



Initials DD/N/MGT/PC


PROD 3596/63 - ASTRONAUT COOPER PICKED UP AFTER SPACE FLIGHT - DATED 17TH MAY, REFERS

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE AMERICAN ASTRONAUT, MAJOR GORDON COOPER, MADE HIS RE-ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES ON SATURDAY WHEN HE ARRIVED AT HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, HONOLULU,IN A HELICOPTER FROM THE RECOVERY CARRIER, KEARSAGE, WHICH HAD BROUGHT HIM FROM HIS MID-PACIFIC SPLASHDOWN AFTER A 22-ORBIT FLIGHT IN SPACE.

MORE THAN 100 THOUSAND PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO CHEER THE BEAMING, HEALTHY-LOOKING COOPER'S RETURN TO AMERICAN SOIL AND THE REUNION WITH THE WIFE, TRULY, HE COURTED ON THE ISLAND. ALSO THERE TO GREET HIM WERE HIS DAUGHTERS, CAMALA, 14, AND JANITA, 13.

THE COOPERS WERE DRAPED WITH FLOWER LEIS - HAWAII'S TRADITIONAL GREETING TO THE VISITOR - AND THEN WELCOMED BY GOVERNOR JOHN A. BURNS. SAID GOVERNOR BURNS TO MAJOR COOPER: "WE REGARD YOU AS A KAMAAINA - A NATIVE SON OF HAWAII." MAJOR COOPER WAS A STUDENT AT UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FROM 1946 TO 1949. HE MET AND MARRIED HIS WIFE IN 1947.

CROWDS SURGED ROUND THE ASTRONAUT'S CAR AS HE DROVE IN A MOTOR PARADE THROUGH CENTRAL HONOLULU TO IOLANI PALACE, THE SEAT OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT. THERE GOVERNOR BUNS GAVE HIM THE UNIVERSITY REGENT'S MEDAL. AFTER A RECEPTION AT THE GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE, MAJOR COOPER AND HIS FAMILY RETURNED TO THE AIR BASE'S V.I.P. QUARTERS BEFORE FLYING ON TO CAPE CANAVERAL.