House Joins In Honoring NASA’s Michoud Facility Hurricane Katrina “Ride-Out” Team

WASHINGTON, DC- The U.S. House of Representatives today passed H. Res. 892 – submitted by Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA) – recognizing the dedication of the employees at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Southeast Louisiana. The resolution honors a team of facility employees who voluntarily stayed behind during Hurricane Katrina last August to protect the valuable space flight hardware critical to NASA’s space shuttle program from the floodwaters.

As hurricane winds exceeded 130 miles per hour and storm surge topped the 19 foot levees surrounding the facility, the 37 members of the Michoud Hurricane Ride-Out Team worked tirelessly manning the pumping station and generators, pumping more than one billion gallons of water out of the facility. Their dedication kept the Michoud Assembly Facility an island of dry land, which made it possible to resume External Tank production less than 5 weeks after the storm passed.

In submitting the resolution, Rep. Melancon said, “For their bravery in the face of unbelievable destruction and their unquestionable dedication to the space program, I ask this body to recognize the members of the Michoud ‘ride-out team’ and commemorate their heroism and selfless contribution to the United States, which enabled America to continue to lead the world in space exploration.”

Science Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN) added, “Michoud plays a tremendously important role in the United States human space flight program and without the dedication of the members of the Ride-Out Team, NASA’s Space Shuttle program would suffered significantly from the storm, with negative impacts on the space agency’s activities as a whole. I think it is only fitting and proper that we honor these brave individuals.”

The full text of the resolution follows:

109th CONGRESS — IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H. RES. 892 – Summary Recognizing the dedication of the employees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Michoud Assembly Facility, the `Michoud Hurricane Ride-Out Team’, who risked their lives during Hurricane Katrina’s assault on southeast Louisiana, and kept the generators and pumps running to protect the facilities and flight hardware, and whose dedication kept the Michoud Assembly Facility an island of dry land, which made it possible to resume External Tank production less than 5 weeks after the storm passed.

RESOLUTION

Recognizing the dedication of the employees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Michoud Assembly Facility, the `Michoud Hurricane Ride-Out Team’, who risked their lives during Hurricane Katrina’s assault on southeast Louisiana, and kept the generators and pumps running to protect the facilities and flight hardware, and whose dedication kept the Michoud Assembly Facility an island of dry land, which made it possible to resume External Tank production less than 5 weeks after the storm passed.

Whereas the Michoud Assembly Facility plays a vital role in the United States manned space flight program, including production of the Shuttle External Tank, a vital component of the Shuttle program;

Whereas the 37 members of the `Michoud Hurricane Ride-Out Team’ who stayed behind during Hurricane Katrina risked their lives in dedication to the space program and faced down one of the greatest natural disasters in this Nation’s history, at great personal risk; and

Whereas, if not for the dedication of this team, the Michoud facility would have suffered a great loss of National Aeronautics and Space Administration assets and technology, which would have severely limited the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s mission: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives commends the dedication of the 37 members of the `Michoud Hurricane Ride-Out Team’ who stayed behind at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Michoud Assembly Facility and protected vital program assets, which enabled the facility to resume production of the Shuttle External Tank within 5 weeks of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, including Ronald L. Adams, Jr. of New Orleans, LA, Joseph Charles Barrett of Metairie, LA, Donald K. Bollich of Metairie, LA, Frederick H. Castle of Bay Saint Louis, MS, Daniel Alvine Doell of Terrytown, LA, John Lee Fisher of Slidell, LA, James E. Ford II of Madisonville, LA, Stephen Lynn Francis of New Orleans, LA, Monroe Lewis Frazier Jr. of Harvey, LA, William Carl Hale III of Slidell, LA, Willie Frederick Henderson III of New Orleans, LA, Simmie Paul Herrin of Slidell, LA, Royal Kenneth Holland of New Orleans, LA, Ivory Jordan, Jr. of Lacombe, LA, Joe E. Kennedy of Pearl River, LA, Donald P. Leon Jr. of New Orleans, LA, Michael Wilson Moore of Metairie, LA, Daryl Ordes of Pearlington, MS, Michael A. Parquet of Slidell, LA, George Elson Rogers, Sr. of Kenner, LA, Steven L. Roshto Jr. of Slidell, LA, Alan J. Rovira of New Orleans, LA, Joan B. Savoy of Saint Bernard, LA, Vickie Ann Schmersahl of Slidell, LA, Patrick Shawn Shea of Mandeville, LA, Henry Peter Sissac Jr. of New Orleans, LA, Aline H. Sullwold of Picayune, MS, Richard Leowen Treat of Picayune, MS, Stephen Avery Turner of Slidell, LA, Byran Dale Walker of Picayune, MS, Edward Perry Watts Jr. of Metairie, LA, Reginald Bruce Williams of New Orleans, LA, Terry Michael Winchester of Slidell, LA, Malcolm Wayne Wood of Picayune, MS, Guy Mitchell Jackson of Chalmette, LA, and John Melvin Pucheu of Waveland, MS.