Merry Christmas! - A surprise autograph from a friend

I got excited when I got told an envelope had arrived at my old address. I was told it must have been one of my photos, since it was marked, "Do not bend."

I had lived there for seven years, but only sent out autograph requests during the last two or so. I looked at my sendout list but couldn't figure out who would return a photo after two years - I received most of my photos sent out after the Discovery transfer event at Udvar-Hazy, and of those that I didn't get back, I got most of those in-person at later events.

When I got to my old house I was puzzled as it wasn't one my white return envelopes (I found the self-seals there are better than the brown envelopes.) But when I looked at the return address, I was especially happy.

One of my buddies who goes with me on trips to meet astronauts surprised me with this photo (as well as a selection photo, in his blue flight suit) - which I was really appeciative of, since there was an event where ret. Navy Capt. Dominic L. P. Gorie was appearing but the organizer of which told me to contact him directly if I wanted an autograph.

Gorie was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in December 1994. A veteran of four space flights, Gorie has logged over 47 days in space. He served as pilot aboard STS-91 in 1998 and STS-99 in 2000, and was the crew commander on STS-108 in 2001 and STS-123 in 2008.

Gorie retired from NASA on June 4, 2010. I didn't ask where my friend met Gorie, but this was postmarked 16 Dec. 2014.