Astronaut Alan Shepard inspects his capsule on U.S. Champlain after recovery

S88-31384 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) pilot,
is pictured near his Freedom 7 capsule during a postflight inspection aboard the U.S. Navy Carrier Champlain after the recovery of his Mercury vehicle. Earlier Shepard had completed the historical 15-minute suborbital Mercury-Redstone 3 mission, marking the U.S. inaugural manned space mission. (NASA Hq. No. 61-MR3-107 or MR3-44) Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration