Some Trips To The Moon Included Lunch in La Grange

We were all saddened to learn about the tragic death of Bill Anders, La Grange’s “Astronaut,” on June 7th of this year. His Father A. G. and his Uncle Edger “Smiles”Anders, were co-owners of Hermes Drug Store, on the courthouse square. This is the story of how that drug store and its delivery boy (me), got involved with NASA”s astronaut training program.

Thanks to a 1960s Texas Law that allowed 14-yearolds to have an “agricultural hardship” driver’s license, I was the proud possessor of a license my freshman year of high school. I went to work as a delivery driver for Hermes, in the spring of 1964 and what an exciting opportunity it was! Not only was I driving an almost new 1962 Ford Falcon, but I was getting paid to do it! I ran errands and made about 15 deliveries a day, as well as stocking shelves and sweeping floors. There was one additional task I acquired, that proved to be the most exciting of all!

By 1963, Bill Anders had graduated from Annapolis, accepted a commission from the Air Force, become a distinguished pilot, and was recruited into the Nasa Apollo Astronaut Program – Group 3. He and his family moved to Clear Lake, Texas, where he began training as a Lunar Module Pilot. In addition to what must have been a rigorous academic program, Bill and his fellow Lunar Module Pilots trainees, would also fly BELL 47 helicopters, because their controls operated and responded in a manner similar to the Lunar Module. You may remember these helicopters as the small, spindly, bubble nosed machines used in the MASH television series. The trainees would fly the helicopters in groups of three, on several preassigned routes. One route left Ellington AFB- Houston and proceeded South to the Gulf of Mexico. It turned West and followed the beach until it reached the Colorado River where it went North and shadowed the river upstream to the La Grange Airport. Arriving at Gunter Field (La Grange’s Airport at that time), Bill Anders would call his Uncle Smiles for a ride. If this happened during the summer or during school breaks, Mr. Anders would send me in the four door Falcon, to pick up the three Astronauts. They would usually arrive about noon and we would immediately head to lunch at the Cottonwood Inn Steakhouse, where they would buy my lunch! Then we would head to the Lukas Bakery where they purchased bread and kolaches and other pastries to take home. After that was taken care of we would head across the square, where Bill would be greeted by his Uncle Smiles and Bill would introduce everyone in the store to the two accompanying Astronauts. Before long it was back to the airport, where the all three Astronauts would head back to Ellington AFB and home.

Several interesting things about these interactions is that I don’t ever remember any of the Astronauts seeming to have a problem with a 14-year-old kid being their chauffer and I doubt seriously that NASA was made aware of it! I know that there were several routes, but Bill Anders somehow arranged for always being on this route and had as many different Astronaut trainees with him as possible. This allowed him to see his Uncle, introduce him to the other Astronauts, and check in with people he knew in La Grange. During the times I drove the Astronauts around town, I met “Buzz” Edwin Aldrin, Eugene Cernan, James Irwin, Alan Bean, and Harrison Schmidt. Just as interesting, I don’t remember ever sharing this with anyone at the time, except my parents. It was certainly a great opportunity and makes for fond memories, some 60 years later.