[samg]

I heard back from the curator for Mercury spacecraft and components at the Smithsonian museum.

My original query about the status of the Randall knives at the Smithsonian. You can see that I thought that the Smithsonian had 3 Astros, as one is online as coming from John Glenn. Mr Neufeld clears that up in the following emails.

**My original query to the Smithsonian**

Hello,

I am researching a knife that was gifted to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in August 1961.

.The knife of interest was a replica of the actual survival knife made for the Mercury Astronauts.

I know of 2 Randall knives on display, one flown by John Glenn, and the other one with the Freedom 7 display from Alan Shepard's Mercury flight of May 5, 1961.

I have photos of both of those knives.

The one of interest to me is a Randall knife, made for display with the Freedom 7 capsule that was gifted to the museum's then Curator Mr Kenneth Newland by Mr Bo Randall in August 1961. Mr Randall suggested that the knife be displayed with survival items in the handle cavity cutout. Whereas the other 2 Randall knives that I described above have brown Micarta handles bolted onto the tang of the knife, this 3rd knife was displayed in the Freedom 7 capsule without the brown bolted on Micarta handle. It was displayed with survival materials in the bare metal handle.

I have a copy of a letter from Mr Newland to Mr Randall about this knife. I am attempting to attach a copy of this letter on this email

If you have a photo of this knife, I would appreciate a copy of it.

Im not sure of the status of the original Freedom 7 capsule display or it's location, but would appreciate information about it's location so I can plan on a visit to see it. It seems that Mr Newland in 1961 planned to display this knife in the capsule.

Thanks so much for your help.


**Mr Neufeld**

Dear Sam: I am the curator for Mercury spacecraft and components. We actually have only one knife, the replica you mention of the one carried by Shepard. It has an accession number of A19620001000. It was once mistakenly reaccessioned as John Glenn's survival knife. Some years ago I found that it was the same one and I had the duplicate number deaccessioned.

For photos of it, see the public version of the collections record:

https://airandspace.si.edu/collectio...onaut-survival

The Freedom 7 capsule is currently on exhibit at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, and will return here at the end of 2019, probably. It will be exhibited in our new Destination Moon gallery beginning in 2022. But the hatch was reportedly lost at sea during the recovery process. We never got it. I believe that is why Mr. Randall gave us a duplicate.

I hope that helps. Your attachment didn't come through to me, in case you want to send it directly.

Thanks,

Michael Neufeld
Senior Curator
NASM Space History Dept.


**My follow-up**

Hello Mr Neufeld. Thanks so much for your reply.

The knife you are referring to, accession number A19620001000 is the same knife in both online photos? One photo shows it with the handle opened, displaying the tang, the other photo shows it completely assembled. See photo. How is it displayed now?

The other photo is of the letter from the Curator at the time Mr. Newland who indicated that one of the 2 Astros would be displayed in Alan Shepard's capsule. The other was to be displayed to demonstrate the workmanship.

The other photo is of other discussion of the 2nd Astro.

Both Astro knives were sent to Mr. Newland. One with scales, obviously the one you have on display, and another without scales to be displayed in Alan Shepard's capsule.

Is one of the Astros on display in the original capsule?

Thank you again Mr Neufeld for researching and providing me with information on these knives.

Thanks, Sam

**I added in a second email**

Hi Mr Neufeld, I neglected in my earlier email to you today to respond to your statement about the hatch on Freedom 7. Yes it was lost when Alan Shepard blew the hatch. It was secured to the inside of the hatch.

A number of years ago Gus Grissoms Astro was recovered, after spending several decades at the bottom of the ocean. It was found inside the capsule. According to Grissoms account, he removed it from the hatch, as he anticipated leaving with it, but when his capsule began taking on water, his survival instincts took over and he dropped his Astro inside of the capsule.

Both suborbital flights had the knife fastened to the inside of the hatch. Starting with John Glenns orbital flight, they were from then on fastened to the survival kit.
Thanks again,
Sam

**Mr Neufeld response**

Thanks for the information. Yes it is the same knife. I don’t know why the handle is loose in the more recent photo. Maybe the rivets/screws became loose. Maybe the earlier photo was staged.

Liberty Bell is at Kansas Cosmosphere if you want to ask them about that knife.

Thanks, Mike Neufeld

**My response**

Thank you Mr Neufeld.

Do you have any knowledge of the 2nd Astro without the scales/handle that was displayed inside the original Freedom 7 capsule, as referenced in the 1961 letter from the then Curator Mr Newland to Bo Randall in the attachment that I sent you?

That was quite a story about Gus Grissoms knife being recovered after being submerged in salt water for 30+ years.
Thanks again,
Sam

Mr Neufeld:

No. I’m not aware of a second knife. We only accessioned the one. It is possible it was a loan at the time.

Thanks, Mike Neufeld

**My Response**

If that 2nd knife was placed inside of Freedom 7 as part of the permanent display with the capsule, would it be part of an inventory that you would have record of?
Thanks again,
Sam

**Mr Neufeld**

It’s not inside the spacecraft. We don’t have another unless they are in the survival kits from later missions.

Thanks, Mike Neufeld.


So that's it. It seems that the 2nd Astro that was sent to the Smithsonian has disappeared into the dustbin of time.

Regards, Sam