Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr. from Sigma 7

U. S. Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr.

U.S. Navy Commander Walter M. Shirra, Jr. was born March 12, 1923 in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Schirra was the pilot of the Mercury Atlas 8 flight of "Sigma 7" on October 3, 1962.  Launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, he completed a successful 6 orbit mission around the earth at an orbital velocity of approximately 17,560 miles an hour.

Schirra's "Sigma 7" Mercury spacecraft made nearly a pinpoint landing as planned, in the vicinity of Midway Island.  Time of the flight was 9 hours and 13 minutes.

This is an unused Curteich Color postcard.