[ix] Frank "Red" Rowsome had the idea for this book, and it was also his idea that I write it. He caused me to think about the wonderful but perishable memories from our early space adventures and inspired me to share them with others through this book. He also guided me in the early stages of outlining and researching.

Rebecca Swanson helped do research and typed my initial, dictated drafts before she met her husband-to-be and went his way. William Tsutsui put several draft chapters into better prose, and most importantly, helped me adapt to a new word processor which he mastered quickly. Jo Ann Williamson transcribed many tapes and copied revisions more than once.

I will be forever grateful to Paul Sittler, a "friend" I met for the first time when my word processor failed on Christmas morning, just as I was planning a quiet, productive week of writing during the school break. Paul gave half of his Christmas day to fixing my machine. His unselfish act uplifted me and helped me to write one of the better chapters of the manuscript.

The fun part of writing was reviewing the past with old friends who had been there also. I simply cannot mention them all and the contributions they made without overdoing this greatly, but when they read this, I trust they will know my deepest gratitude is for them.

There were many who read some or all of the manuscript and gave me good suggestions for improvements. T. Keith Glennan honored me most by reading it twice and by offering a number of very constructive comments. Bud Schurmeier provided the very best technical review, and Ed Cortright, Alvin Luedecke, and Cal Broome helped me get on track. A respected writer friend, Jane Mills Smith, and two student friends, Andrew Sullivan and Jon Williams, provided fresh-eyes critiques of real value.

To all of these worthy, respected friends-thanks.

---