General James A. McDivitt

U.S. Air Force Astronaut (Ret.)

Jackson, Michigan

 

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A 1950 graduate of Jackson Junior College, in 1959 McDivitt graduated first in his class at the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering. McDivitt joined the Air Force in 1951 and retired with the rank of Brigadier General. He flew 145 combat missions during the Korean War in F-80s and F-86s. He is a graduate of the USAF Experimental Test Pilot School and the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot course and served as an experimental test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base, California. In 1962 McDivitt was selected in the second group of astronauts. He became the first rookie astronaut to command a mission when he served as command pilot of Gemini 4 that flew from June 3-7, 1965. This mission featured the first U.S. space walk by Edward White II. From March 3-13, 1968, McDivitt commanded Apollo 9. This mission was the first to test the Lunar Module and included the first spacewalk of the Apollo Program. Before leaving NASA in 1972, he served as manager of the Apollo Spacecraft Program and as Apollo Program Manager. During his Air Force and NASA career, he was awarded two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, five Air Medals, the Chong Moo Medal from South Korea, the USAF Air Force Systems Command Aerospace Primus Award, the Arnold Air Society JFK Trophy, the Sword of Loyola, the Michigan Wolverine Frontiersman Award, and USAF Astronaut Wings.  McDivitt was inducted into the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame in 1989 and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1993. He was presented by NASA with the Ambassador of Exploration Award in 2006.  He spent a total of 14 days, 2 hours, and 56 minutes in space while orbiting Earth 213 times.