# Major Tom **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 22, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781 "2006-08-22T18:37:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jeff1\_jenkins59.fsnet.co.uk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@jeff1\_jenkins59.fsnet.co.uk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeff1_jenkins59.fsnet.co.uk)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/1 "2006-08-22T18:37:37Z")
HI, YOU SAY AT THE END OF YOUR ARTICLE THAT THERE WAS NO “MAJOR TOM” IN SPACEW HISTORY. WELL I HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH THIS AS THE FOLLOWING WILL SHOW. The United States Air Force rank of Major was held by several early astronauts (most of whom were officers in the USAF or the United States Navy) during at least one of their flights, including Gus Grissom, Gordon Cooper, Jim McDivitt, Ed White, Tom Stafford, Mike Collins, Buzz Aldrin, and Donn Eisele. As the above list shows, there actually was one real “Major Tom” in orbit during the 1960s, USAF Major Thomas P. Stafford, who flew on the Gemini 6A mission. Due to the practice that emerged in 1965 of giving military astronauts promotions following their flights, Stafford was a Lieutenant Colonel by the time of his next flight (Gemini 9A). The claim in The Straight Dope that there was never a historical “Major Tom” is thus incorrect. I HOPE THAT THIS HELPS ANYONE AS INTERESTED IN MAJOR TOM AS I AM. CHEERS GUYS, TAFFYMAN. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/2 "2006-08-22T18:52:27Z")
Howdy. Welcome to the boards! It’s customary to quote the cited article, such as [this one,](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmajorto.html) in which Cecil says yes, there was a guy named Tom with the rank of Major, but no, he didn’t go cartwheeling off into space never to be seen again. > [@The Perfect Master](#): > > Was there an actual Major Tom? Not that the history books show. Though there were two Apollo astronauts named Tom, neither were Majors and both returned home safely (Thomas P. Stafford was on Apollo 10 and Thomas K. Mattingly served aboard Apollo 16). ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/3 "2006-08-22T19:00:03Z")
There’s also the likelihood that he didn’t take a protein pill. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/4 "2006-08-22T19:10:34Z")
[QUOTE=kaylasdad99] There’s also the likelihood that he didn’t take a protein pill. [/QUOTE] But I’ll give you good odds that he put his helmet on. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/5 "2006-08-22T19:32:34Z")
Note that the song refers to a trip to the _moon_. (“High above the moon.”) Hence Cecil mentions Apollo astronauts and their ranks at the time of their Apollo flights. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/6 "2006-08-22T23:33:09Z")
I like Bill Shatner’s version of the song. No, really. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/7 "2006-08-23T00:40:15Z")
Please note that the article in question is not a Straight Dope Column by Cecil Adams, but a Straight Dope Staff Report by SDSTAFF Songbird. Hence its quite proper inclusion in this forum. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/8 "2006-08-23T12:26:59Z")
I liked **Songbird** ’s article, but I had to smile at the phrase > [@Songbird](#): > > …most Bowie experts agree… implying both that there is some accreditation in the study of Bowie literature, and with the word “most” that there are a considerable number of Doctors of Bowie, not without some professional dissention amongst the ranks. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/9 "2006-08-23T16:01:39Z")
[QUOTE=Ethilrist] Howdy. Welcome to the boards! It’s customary to quote the cited article, such as [this one,](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmajorto.html) in which Cecil says yes, there was a guy named Tom with the rank of Major, but no, he didn’t go cartwheeling off into space never to be seen again.Quote: Originally Posted by The Perfect Master Was there an actual Major Tom? Not that the history books show. Though there were two Apollo astronauts named Tom, neither were Majors and both returned home safely (Thomas P. Stafford was on Apollo 10 and Thomas K. Mattingly served aboard Apollo 16). [/QUOTE] Actually, it was SDSAB **Songbird** , not **Cecil**. Unless you think Songbird is also “The Perfect Master”. :dubious: And, I hate when someone uses the QUOTE function outside of quoting a post/poster. 😛 It makes double the work when I want to quote your cite. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/10 "2006-08-23T21:12:19Z")
Can Cecil sing? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/11 "2006-08-23T21:31:36Z")
Of course, He can do anything He wants. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/12 "2006-08-23T21:50:55Z")
[QUOTE=Ethilrist] Howdy. Welcome to the boards! It’s customary to quote the cited article, such as [this one,](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmajorto.html) in which Cecil says yes, there was a guy named Tom with the rank of Major, but no, he didn’t go cartwheeling off into space never to be seen again. [/QUOTE] (Nitpick) Read the link again. It was not written by Cecil, but is from the old “Cecil’s Mail Bag” which are now “Staff Reports” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/13 "2006-08-23T22:44:27Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] Of course, He can do anything He wants. 😃 [/QUOTE] Can he write a question that’s so hard, even he can’t answer it? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/14 "2006-08-24T00:18:58Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Can he write a question that’s so hard, even he can’t answer it? [/QUOTE] 'Whole Nine Yards" 😛 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/15 "2006-08-25T02:33:20Z")
[QUOTE=Nature’s Call] I liked **Songbird** ’s article, but I had to smile at the phrase implying both that there is some accreditation in the study of Bowie literature, and with the word “most” that there are a considerable number of Doctors of Bowie, not without some professional dissention amongst the ranks. [/QUOTE] I had to smile, too. BUT–Bowie has a large body of work, and he’s been around for, what, 40 years? I’ll wager there are more than a few fans out there who know everything there is to know about The Thin White Duke. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-tom/369781/16 "2006-08-28T02:54:19Z")
[QUOTE=Nature’s Call] I liked **Songbird** ’s article, but I had to smile at the phrase implying both that there is some accreditation in the study of Bowie literature, and with the word “most” that there are a considerable number of Doctors of Bowie, not without some professional dissention amongst the ranks. [/QUOTE] Well, I’d say there’s at least on person who’s done some study and would count as an expert: David Pullman, the financial expert who raised $55 million $55 million through the sale of bonds backed by the future royalties of David Bowie music. (See [www.pullmanbonds.com](http://www.pullmanbonds.com)).