NEIGHBOR FIRST ON FIVE. THIS WAS THE HISTORIC MOMENT ARTEMIS TWO ASTRONAUTS RETURNED FROM THE FIRST DEEP SPACE MISSION IN MORE THAN 50 YEARS. THAT HATCH POPPED BACK OPEN APRIL 1ST. THE FIRST PERSON THEY SAW WAS NAVY SENIOR CHIEF HOSPITAL CORPSMEN JAMES LADDIE ALDRIDGE IS FROM CUSHING, OKLAHOMA. THIS WEEK, HE RETURNED TO OKLAHOMA TO VISIT HIS FAMILY AND KOCO JORDAN RYAN SPOKE WITH HIM ABOUT THOSE MOMENTS. AS SOON AS THE DOOR OPENED, I IMMEDIATELY STARTED CHECKING, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY WAS BREATHING. COULD THEY TALK? WERE THEY IN THEIR SEATS? WHERE THEIR SUITS FINE. YOU KNOW, WAS EVERYBODY OKAY? AND AS SOON AS THAT DOOR POPPED, AS YOU SAW IN THE VIDEO, EVERYBODY KIND OF CHEERED. IT THREW ME BACK A LITTLE BIT. I WAS LIKE, OH, OKAY, WE’RE WE’RE ALL OKAY, OKAY, LET’S, LET’S CONTINUE ON, LADDIE SAYS HE EVEN, EVEN THOUGH HE’S TRAVELED
Artemis II recovery leader James ‘Laddy’ Aldridge returns home to Oklahoma
Navy Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman James “Laddy” Aldridge, who greeted astronauts after the Artemis II splashdown, has returned to his hometown of Cushing, Oklahoma, and will be a featured guest at the city’s Fourth of July celebration
Updated: 5:29 PM CDT Jun 27, 2026
Navy Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman James “Laddy” Aldridge, from Cushing, Oklahoma, was the first person to greet astronauts after the historic Artemis II mission, the first deep space mission in more than 50 years. “As soon as the door opened, I immediately started checking was everyone breathing, were there suits fine, was everybody OK, and as you saw in that video, the door popped and everybody cheered, and it kind of took me back a little bit, and I was like, oh okay, we are all okay, let’s continue on,” Aldridge said. This week, Aldridge returned to Oklahoma to visit family and shared his appreciation for his home state. WATCH: Father watches with pride as Oklahoman greets Artemis II astronauts after historic splashdown”There is just nothing like Oklahoma. The people here are unlike anywhere else. You always hear about southern hospitality. I think it is just a little bit different and a little bit better than everybody else,” he said. Aldridge will be one of the featured guests at Cushing’s Fourth of July celebration, where the community will have the chance to meet him. >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter
CUSHING, Okla. —
Navy Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman James “Laddy” Aldridge, from Cushing, Oklahoma, was the first person to greet astronauts after the historic Artemis II mission, the first deep space mission in more than 50 years.
“As soon as the door opened, I immediately started checking was everyone breathing, were there suits fine, was everybody OK, and as you saw in that video, the door popped and everybody cheered, and it kind of took me back a little bit, and I was like, oh okay, we are all okay, let’s continue on,” Aldridge said.
This week, Aldridge returned to Oklahoma to visit family and shared his appreciation for his home state.
WATCH: Father watches with pride as Oklahoman greets Artemis II astronauts after historic splashdown
“There is just nothing like Oklahoma. The people here are unlike anywhere else. You always hear about southern hospitality. I think it is just a little bit different and a little bit better than everybody else,” he said.
Aldridge will be one of the featured guests at Cushing’s Fourth of July celebration, where the community will have the chance to meet him.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter