Published: September 15, 2007 11:40 pm      

McBride returns for MSU event

After leaving his hometown of Beckley, Capt. Jon McBride’s life would literally take him around the planet — where he had a bird’s eye view of it.

Saturday night, the retired NASA astronaut and Navy fighter pilot said he had finally come full circle as he returned to Beckley for the Mountain State University Foundation Honors Dinner at Tamarack.

MSU honored its five Alumni Hall of Fame inductees and its Tower Society members — those who have included the university in their wills. McBride, who now has residences in Florida, Texas and Illinois, was the event’s keynote speaker.

Proceeds from the dinner will go toward an alumni endowment scholarship, said Roslyn Clark-Artis, foundation president. Because the foundation is “launching,” she believed McBride’s was the perfect and appropriate choice for guest speaker.

After flying back to West Virginia, McBride said he left Charleston early so he could spend more time driving through Beckley, seeing how much had changed — and realizing what a long journey he had made.

“This is the end of a full circle,” he mused. “I look forward to coming back here soon, closing the circle one more time.”

“How did it happen? The answer is Beckley, West Virginia, and the wonderful life I had as a child.”

McBride recalled his days playing football for Woodrow Wilson High School when he saw a sign that said luck was preparation meeting opportunity. He believes that combination — with preparation far outweighing luck — was key in his journey that literally sent the 13-year Navy pilot into orbit.

“It was a lot of hard work,” he said. “ I was a good pilot, and that helps when you want to fly spacecraft. Plus, I was in the right place at the right time.”

For several years, McBride had a love of aviation, building models and studying aeronautics, even though he would never take an airplane flight until his time at West Virginia University. After meeting a U.S. Navy recruiter, he was given the opportunity to ride in a Navy jet, experiencing all the spins and rolls a fighter pilot does.

“After that 10-minute ride, aviation was in my blood — my destiny,” he said.

When he decided he wanted to fly above the heavens, he went through a one-year screening process that involved being grilled for hours in front of such legendary astronauts as John Glenn. About 100,000 pilots applied to be the first group that would fly NASA’s space shuttles, and he was one of the 15 selected in 1978.

“It was like ‘Dancing with the Stars,’” he joked.

McBride would fly into orbit for the first time in 1984 for what he said was a scientific mission. The 8 1/2-day journey entailed mapping the Earth and launching a satellite.

“It’s 8 1/2 minutes from launch to orbit,” he said. “I would say it’s exhilarating, but you can’t concentrate (on the feeling). You have to do your job as a pilot and think about everyone’s safety. You have no time. You’re looking at TV screens, controls.

“I do remember when we got into space and it was zero gravity. Wow! That’s something you can’t simulate on Earth.”

He remembered the shuttle’s payload doors opening, and seeing the planet from above.

“It’s a magnificent, beautiful place — the whole planet Earth,” he said.

McBride was scheduled to command a March 1986 shuttle mission, but that was before the Challenger disaster just two months before.

“I lost seven dear friends,” he said. “There’s no way to rationalize it. For six months, I couldn’t even talk about it.”

Later, he said, he received a call from then-President Ronald Reagan, offering him the job of NASA’s assistant administrator of congressional relations, where he worked until his 1989 retirement.

As he hugged several members of what he called his extremely close 1960 graduating class, including his high school sweetheart, McBride said his upbringing in Beckley and Woodrow teachers who genuinely cared for students’ welfare were key in making him the person he is today. He was proud to see the Hall of Fame inductees honored, some of whom were old friends.

He advised young people to set goals now and begin preparation now — and be proud to be who they are.

“Be proud to be a West Virginian,” he said. “Set your goals now, and make them happen.’

“I grew up in Sprague, in a coal camp, and I went on to fly space shuttles. Southern West Virginia youngsters can do the same thing if they want to do it.”

Those inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame were Ron Stennett, Amanda Marcella Adkins Spirit Award; Barbara Gardner, Distinguished Friend Award; Price H. Calfee Jr., Career Achievement Award; Robert Bolen, Distinguished Service Award; and Nancy Pat Lewis-Smith, Community Service Award.

Those inducted into the MSU Tower Society were Tommy Adams, Stewart Anderson, Christopher Donoghue, Sheila Dewhirst-Logar and Julia and Joe Long

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com