Over the years Stuart Roosa

came back to Oregon

again and again,

even adopting Coos Bay

as his hometown.

bumpity, bumpity, bump . . . It was a hot summer day in Bend, Oregon, as a group of astronauts studying geology bounced along on an old worn out school bus. Cruising along behind them in a Lincoln Continental were two men from Coos Bay, Oregon, Phil Waters and Bob Perkins. They had heard on the radio that the astronauts would be in Bend and were interested to see what they were doing. During a lunch break, Stuart Roosa invited the two men to join him and the other astronauts. Phil and Bob returned the invitation and asked Stuart Roosa, Charlie Duke, and Joe Engle to ride with them in their air conditioned luxury car. The Coos Bay Connection had begun. Whether he was studying geology in Bend as an astronaut, parachuting down to put out a fire as a smokejumper, or elk hunting, Stuart Roosa had many strong ties to Oregon. He even chose to have his official NASA "hometown" parade after Apollo 14, in Coos Bay. The parade, the biggest ever held in Coos Bay, was the highlight of "Stuart Roosa Days" in May, 1971. Stuart Roosa Days began Coos Bay's annual tradition of the "Bay Area Fun Festival" and parade.