Joseph Kittinger (b. 1928) - $50.00

Joseph Kittinger
American Aviation Pioneer Recognized as the First Man in Space
Rare Signed Commemorative Cachet

Joseph William Kittinger II (b. 1928). A former Command Pilot and career military officer in the United States Air Force. He is most famous for his participation in Project Manhigh and Project Excelsior and as being the first man to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a gas balloon. Serving as a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, he was shot down and spent 11 months in a North Vietnamese prison.

American Aviation Pioneer, Col. Joe Kittinger has boldly signed in black ink a numbered limited edition of 200 8″x 10″ ecru souvenir sheets (heavy stock) under his large cachet portrait. To the left are listed the INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS of Col. Kittinger. A U.S. 32 cent Air Force Stamp cancelled & a green stamped certification, dated Nov.5, 1997 stating that the cover had been flownaboard the Budweiser Airship on that date. This is #190 of 200. The sheet is in MINT CONDITION waiting to be matted & framed!

The following is taken from an excerpt from the Early Show (CBS):
Co-host, Harry Smith speaks with Joe Kittinger (CBS/The Early Show) Few people know it, but the first man in space wasn’t an astronaut. It was test pilot Joe Kittinger. In 1960, the little-known pioneer was part of an U.S. Air Force project called Excelsior, which was designed to test the effects of space on human beings — and, more important, to determine whether an astronaut could survive an aborted mission, even at 20 miles above the earth. Kittinger had the right stuff. He traveled all the way into space via balloon — then jumped out. “I turned over and I looked, and I could see the balloon flying into space. And then I realized the balloon was standing still and that was me that was flying straight down. Going very fast!” Kittinger told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. What was his last thought before he leaped? “Well,” Kittinger said, “I just said a prayer. I said: ‘Lord, take care of me now.’ It was the most fervent prayer I ever said in my life.”  Kittinger’s historic leaps were big news back in 1960. LIFE magazine did a huge spread. But Kittinger’s death-defying acts soon were eclipsed by rocket-propelled space flight. He quickly became a footnote in the space race. “Remember,” Kittinger pointed out, “we didn’t have the PR that NASA had.”

Joe Kittinger’s signature is becoming difficult to obtain & he is 84!  His cut signature is being offered for $50.00 & FDCs for $125.00!

A copy of the Budweiser certification signed by Aeronaut, Steven J. Adams accompanies the souvenir. $50.00

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