A thermometer in his mouth, Alan B. Shepard, Jr., watches as the astronauts? personal physician, Lt. Col. William K. Douglas, checks his blood pressure in Cape Canaveral, May 5, 1961. Shepard and his backup pilot, John H. Glenn, Jr., were given final physical examinations this morning at Cape Canaveral before Shepard took off on America?s first manned space flight. (AP Photo) Ref #: PA.8611817 Date: 05/05/1961
