We know that astronauts frequently have had to be badasses, and even flight controllers have had to be badasses (e.g. John Aaron, Apollo 12, "SCE to AUX"), but this is proof positive that even the guys that fix the bugs in the rockets sometimes have to be badasses, too.
Gene Crantz is another certified badass flight controller, I highly recommend his book "Failure is not an Option" which is all about his time in the American space program (which stretches from Mercury all the way to the Space Shuttle).
