Talk:Ed White (astronaut)/Archive 1

Archive 1

Redundant category

"Postdlf (removed redundant category) [astronauts]"

Why is that category redundant? The U.S. isn't the only country that has ever had astronauts. TaintedMustard 08:14, 5 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Notability of Mrs. White

"As the result of a coroners inquiry many years after his death it was determined that his widow, Pat White, took her own life." Could the contributor tell us where s/he found this?

TaintedMustard 08:11, 5 Apr 2005 (UTC)

It was mentioned in the New York Times-do a search! (This is apparently an unsigned response, improperly typed into the quote above.)

I was not the original contributor but it is subtitled at the end of Episode 11 of "From the Earth to the Moon" of the HBO 1998 Mini Series. The exact wording is "In 1983 a coroner's report determined that Pat White took her own life. She had been organizing a reunion of her astronaut wife friends."

I believe it is worthy enough to mention into the main Ed White article. Buzzetta 00:27, 14 September 2007 (UTC)

So, I'm curious why Pat White links back to Ed White? I see that there was some speculation about her death. Not only is it mentioned in "From the Earth To the Moon", but Craig Nelson's heavily researched novel "Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon" also says; "Nearly twenty years later, Pat White, in the middle of organizing an Apollo wives' reunion, committed suicide." Chapter 12 "Transfiguration", Pp 189. This means there are at least two sources about Pat's death that we have here. (It looks like the episode of From the Earth to the Moon" where her death is mentioned is #11... if that helps any). Can we un-link these two records? There is a lot of information out there about Pat White; she fought for Ed to be buried at West Point instead of Arlington, she raised two children on Test Pilot's pensions (Not a lot), participated in the suit against North American for negligence in the fire... there should be more to her than simply a footnote in Ed's bio... Aabh (talk) 23:18, 24 January 2011 (UTC)

Somebody created a stub article in 2006, but it was nothing more than a single sentence saying she was his wife, and was speedily deleted. FTETTM is a docudrama and as such, doesn't meet Wikipedia standards as a reliable source; you would have to go to their sources. Also, I don't know who this Craig Nelson is, and how literally do you mean "novel" (understood in the US as a work of fiction.) Is this really something similar; a dramatic account, but in book form? If so, it doesn't qualify either.

My gut feel is that she doesn't meet the notability requirement; I don't think she's really notable other than for being his wife (widow), despite what an interesting story her tragic life in the aftermath of her husband's death might make. The same might be said of Betty Grissom, and Roger Chaffee's family, too. People in this situation generally want to grieve and continue their lives in privacy.

But if there is, as you say, "a lot of information out there" from reliable sources, go for it. JustinTime55 (talk) 22:34, 25 January 2011 (UTC)

In the meantime, since Pat White is mentioned earlier in the article and has since passed away, I've added a short paragraph noting her death in 1983 and included 2 respectable references.

In the meantime, since Pat White is mentioned earlier in the article and has since passed away, I've added a short paragraph noting her death in 1983 and included 2 respectable references. Pleonic (talk) 02:12, 12 February 2012 (UTC)

Just an FYI...a newly released book The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel "http://www.amazon.com/The-Astronaut-Wives-Club-Story/dp/1455503258, corroborates the suicide story in the chapter The Reunion. The wives also share a story that Pat White told of never getting over Ed White's death even after remarrying and had attempted suicide on more than one occasion during the marriage.Zabadu (talk) 21:19, 2 July 2013 (UTC)

I wouldn't put much stock in The Wives Club book as a corroboration of anything. From what I've seen, Koppel basically just regurgitated information from The Right Stuff, From The Earth To The Moon miniseries, Apollo 13 and other notable books. Since it has no bibliography, its hard to tell if anything in it is original or just crap she pulled from other people's stuff.— Preceding unsigned comment added by Ckruschke (talk • contribs) 17:21, 8 July 2013(UTC)

Yes, I guess that's why a bunch of astronaut wives consented to interviews, have accompanied her to book signings and promoted the book. Because it's a regurgitation. Pat White committed suicide, whether you choose to believe it or not.Zabadu (talk) 22:07, 21 October 2013 (UTC)

I'm sorry. You seem to have taken my opinion that the book doesn't plow any new ground "from what I've seen" as a personal affront which it was not. Also my reply to you had nothing to do with whether White did or did not commit suicide. I simply stated that Koppel's book, without a bibliography, basically amounts to heresay (and I'm not the only one who holds this opinion - visit the book's page on Amazon or any other retailer who allows reviews). Please focus on what I said, not on what you think I mean... Ckruschke (talk) 21:51, 24 October 2013 (UTC)Ckruschke

Death

Had he lived, White would certainly have gone on to be Commander of a later Apollo mission and walk on the moon.

removed this as speculation —Home Row Keysplurge 04:42, 28 January 2006 (UTC)

hi

Hi I am doing a homework assigment on Edward White. Can you add more stuff to this site? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Makezz1 (talk • contribs) 22:16, 6 May 2008 (UTC)