9-11 Caring Carolina

Frank Culbertson

Tears Don’t Flow the Same in Space

Students at Midway teleconferencing with Mr. Culberston 250 miles in outer space.  He is the astronaut in the middle.

            On September 11th, a South Carolina native, Frank Culbertson, 52, was aboard the space shuttle “Endeavor”.  He and two other crewmates went up in space in August on 2001 on a mission to help put together the International Space Station.  All three were up in space during the September 11^th events and came back to a very changed and different world in December of 2001.  You will read below how Frank Culbertson, a SC Holly Hill native, reacted and felt, how he dealt with it, and what he did to pay tribute to and honor the victims of September 11^th.

Part 1:  How he reacted and left in response to the September 11^th events 

            The Endeavor’s mission started on August 10, 2001, just one month and one day before September 11th.  The crewmates on the Endeavor include Frank Culbertson, Viadimir Dezhurov, and Mikhail Tyurin.  Frank Culbertson, the only American aboard the space shuttle at that time, is a South Carolina native.  He is from Holly Hill, his parents live in Laurens, and his sister, Sally Leigh, lives in Clemson, South Carolina.  When they found out and were notified about the attacks, all three were shocked.  Culbertson wrote, “My first thought was that this wasn’t a real conversation, that I was still listening to one of my Tom Clancy tapes.”  He was told about the attacks soon after they happened.  The Flight Surgeon in Mission Control told him privately.  Mission Control sent up extra chats with his family, even live football games…anything to boost up his spirit.  Culbertson’s sister, Sally Leigh, said it was like talking to a brother away on business, only he was 250 miles above the earth.  She said, “He’s been able to share reflections of what it’s been like up there.  It’s just like he’s next door.”  He’s had emotions just like everybody else: shock, sadness, and concern.  Leigh said, “Like everybody, his heart was broken.  A big part of his job is showing how people from different countries can work together on a common cause.  I know he had some real concern during the attack for all of his family, plus what was going on.”  Since Culbertson’s mission didn’t end until December 17^th, he was in space for his father’s birthday.  So, Culbertson sent his father pictures of himself for his father’s birthday.  All of his immediate family and him had extra chats which brought them closer through this hard time.

            Another thing that Frank Culbertson did was have a live chat with fourth grade students from Midway Elementary in Camden, South Carolina. Besides fourth grade students, six students from Lugoff-Elgin High School and about twenty-five special guests were there for the special chat. It took place in Midway library and lasted about twenty minutes. Children got to ask Culbertson questions while he was up in space. He would answer them and kids could see him on a big screen television. Something that the kids did was ask Culbertson at the beginning and end of the interview where exactly he was so they could track the path of the space shuttle. All say it was an amazing experience!!

            All three men said they wanted world news before they went up in space.  Once they were notified of the attacks, all were crushed.  Culbertson said that being the only American completely off the planet made him feel isolated.  Then, feelings intensified as the space shuttle went over New England about the time the second tower collapsed.  He could see the smoke and that night said, “Other than the emotional impact…the most overwhelming feeling being where I am is the isolation.”

            Culbertson soon realized that he knew a victim, the pilot of the airplane that crashed into the Pentagon.  His name was Charles “Chic” Burlingame, and he was a 1960’s Naval Academy classmate.  Later, Culbertson wrote, “Tears don’t flow the same in space.  It’s difficult to describe how it feels to be the only American completely off the planet at such a time as this.  The feeling that I should be home with all of you, dealing with this, helping in some way, is overwhelming.”  To let loose and unwind, Culbertson plays his trumpet.  He said that his crewmates have been sensitive to the fact that he’s the only American in space with all of this happening and have let him be left alone.  Culbertson then writes, “the dichotomy of being on a spacecraft dedicated to improving life on Earth and watch life being destroyed by such willful terrible acts is jolting the psyche.”  During the week of October 21, Culbertson wrote, “We may have some difficult times ahead.  But I think that if people follow the example of the international space station and the cooperation and the problem-solving and compromising…they will learn how to solve all of these problems.”

Part 2: On their way home

            Frank Culbertson and his crewmates knew they would return to a different world and so, they did.  Known as “Expedition Three”, the three men remember leaving the International Space Station.  First of all, they gave Expedition Four candy canes and small fabric Christmas trees as a countdown to the holidays.  Culbertson said, “We feel like we’ve accomplished a lot.  We feel our mission has been successful.  However the most important thing for everyone to remember is the journey continues.  Station continues on its way.”  Getting ready to head home, Culbertson says, “I know there are a lot of details that I wasn’t able to get, just because of the magnitude of them. I’m sure there’s a stack of magazines and things waiting for me. But I will leave as we go.  People want me to talk and I want them to talk.”  Expedition Three landed December 17, 2001, at approximately 12:55 P.M.  Culbertson said he is grateful just to spend Christmas with his wife and five children, especially after the events of September 11, 2001.

Part 3:  How Expedition Three paid tribute to victims of September 11^th

            On December 9, 2001, Expedition Three paid tribute to September 11^th victims and those helping to stop terrorism.  Culbertson said, “All of us were affected by that day – greatly.”  Later, he states, “To all of those who lost loved ones, to all of those who worked so hard to help people survive and to the people who are trying so hard to stop this threat, we wish you the best.”  The Endeavor was carrying several flags.  It has about 6,000 flags, which were given to victims’ relatives and survivors of 9-11.  Some larger flags were returned to Pennsylvania, the Pentagon, and New York.  One flag is special, though.  One flag was on one of the planes that crashed into the Trade Center.  It is torn badly and you can smell smoke when you are around it.  The shuttle commander said, “When we first saw it, we were amazed that this flag survived.  But it’s a tremendous symbol of our country.  Just like our country, it’s a little bit bruised and battered and torn.  With a little repair, it’s going to fly high and as beautiful as it ever did and that’s just what our country is doing.”  The Endeavor was also carrying a New York Fire Department banner, 23 New York police badges, and 91 police patches.  They had a ceremony honoring everyone killed and everyone that is helping clean up after the attacks of September 11^th.  

            Again, another South Carolinian made all of us proud and gave guidance and strength during a time of need.  Even in space, Frank Culbertson, 250 miles away, he felt the same pain and emotions we all did on earth.  It is strange that one of his goals in outer space was to promote international affairs and so much changed on earth while he was gone.  But he is right, a famous SC has spoken, now “The journey continues,” we are “a little bit bruised and battered and torn, but people will follow the example of the international space station and the cooperation, the problem solving, and compromising…they will learn how to solve all of these problems.”  Thank you, Mr. Culbertson, for your strength and guidance to all South Carolinians and Americans in a time of need.  You make us very proud in South Carolina.