Fred Haise
The City of Biloxi and Mississippi Power are honoring a hometown hero – Apollo 13 astronaut and Biloxi native Fred Haise – on the 50th anniversary of his intersteller expedition.
April will mark the 50th anniversary of Apollo 13, a mission that has been called NASA’s “successful failure” and a mission that united the world in hope, prayer and problem-solving as the troubled spacecraft made its way back to Earth.
Fred Haise, a Biloxi native who grew up on Back Bay, brought tremendous pride to his hometown, state and nation, and, frankly, to the entire world, as the Apollo 13 lunar module pilot. Fred is one of only 24 people to have flown to the moon and back.
In addition, he has been a tremendous asset to Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, inspiring students in Biloxi Public Schools, and being the driving force in creating the Infinity Visitors Center near the Stennis Space Center.
Biloxi has a statue dedicated to the old world explorer Pierre LeMoyne D’Iberville at the Biloxi Visitors Center, and now we’ll have a statue, a new community landmark, that pays homage to our new world explorer Fred Haise. So, what we’re doing: To mark the 50th anniversary, April 11, the City of Biloxi and Mississippi Power are presenting the unveiling of the Launch Pad on Saturday, April 11. It will be positioned in a prominent location in the parking area south of the Biloxi Lighthouse. Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the event will now be limited to family but will be recorded and air on the city’s website, YouTube channel and BTV.
The Launch Pad will be a replica of the base of a Saturn V rocket, the rocket that propelled Fred and his fellow astronauts to the moon. Atop the base – at a later date – will be positioned a bronzed statue of Fred Haise in his astronaut gear.
The statue is being created by local artist Mary Ott Tremmel Davidson, who also created the D’Iberville statue that stands outside the Biloxi Visitors Center.
See the Fred Haise article in the March BNews Monthly
See the Fred Haise article in the April BNews Monthly
See the April BTV schedule
