Cadet Memories of

Ed Kemmer

Commander In Chief

Of the

Space Patrol

Beth Flood

I probably knew Ed Kemmer longer than most people, except for some of his family. I met him in 1952 when I traveled from Michigan, along with my husband Bill and 8-year-old daughter Nancy, to visit my brother Lyn Osborn, Cadet Happy of Space Patrol. He and Lyn introduced us to all the Space Patrol gang and those behind the scenes. We were invited to watch a live broadcast and it was amazing to watch the actors run from one set to another when a shot was finished. Meeting Ed Kemmer, so tall and handsome in his Space Patrol uniform, was an unforgettable event and I can still picture him on that day… about 32 years old and on top of the world. He was very nice to us and joined Virginia and Lyn in posing for a picture with our daughter and two of our family friend's children.

I next saw Ed in 1958 when Lyn died and I joined my parents in California to attend his funeral at Forest Lawn, a very sad event for everyone. I made the flight alone as my husband stayed behind to care for our 5 daughters. Those days in California are somewhat blurry in my mind but I remember Virginia and Ernst Meer taking us up to Ed's home in La Canada in the foothills of Los Angeles. I will never forget his kindness and concern and I send my best wishes to his family in their time of sorrow. Although I lost track of Ed for a long time after that we reconnected a couple of years ago and exchanged a few letters.

I hope the Space Patrol gang are having a happy reunion now, maybe looking down at all of us here on earth.