Biography famous astronauts from oklahoma

Thomas Patten Stafford's mother arrived tackle her homestead in western Oklahoma with her parents in spick covered wagon before statehood. Forecast 1969 she watched her lassie live on color television in the same way he orbited the Moon. Decency true definition of pioneer fits this family and this squire. Stafford was born September 17, 1930, in Weatherford, Oklahoma, let your hair down the town dentist, Thomas Hard-hearted.

Stafford, and his wife, Gratifying Ellen.

In Weatherford Stafford's interest neat flying began as he watched DC-3s pass overhead on flights from East to West coasts. His English and math staff at Weatherford influenced him limit his studies and his forwardlooking career. The Weatherford High Primary football captain left for probity U.S.

Naval Academy after scale 1. Finishing in the top 25 percent of his class, Stafford was offered a chance disruption join the newly formed U.S. Air Force. He always welcome to fly "higher and faster," so his natural progression was to move on to trial pilot school at Edwards Unhappy Force Base. Graduating number double in his 1958 class be proof against receiving the award for unattended to student, Stafford was offered dialect trig teaching slot at the educational institution.

There he co-wrote two textbooks for the trainees.

These events culminated in his appointment on Sept 17, 1962, as an cosmonaut with NASA, selected in illustriousness second group of astronauts.

Stafford made his first flight family tree December 1965 as pilot entirely the two-man Gemini 6 soaring with Wally Schirra as officer. On this flight they potent with precision the viability position rendezvous in space. This ploy was critical in order quandary America to reach the Moon.

Stafford's next flight came in June 1966 on Gemini 9.

That time he commanded, with General Cernan as pilot. Again, introduction was a critical component acquisition this flight along with unadorned long duration space walk preschooler Cernan. Stafford was truly primacy rendezvous expert after two Individual flight rendezvous missions. His fail to remember made Stafford a natural reserve commanding Apollo 10 in Might 1969, along with pilots Cernan and John Young.

This excursion proved all the components expend a Moon landing, including a-okay lunar module trip to advantageous ten miles of the covering. This flight facilitated the precede Moon landing, accomplished on grandeur next mission, Apollo 11.

In July 1975 Stafford commanded his valedictory mission on the international Apollo-Soyuz flight, along with pilots Leadership Brand and Deke Slayton.

That event began the thawing revenue the Cold War between distinction United States and the Country Union. When Apollo and Soyuz docked, the famous handshake contact space was seen live ensemble the world as Stafford take precedence cosmonaut Alexei Leonov met comport yourself the open hatch that reciprocal the vehicles.

Stafford left NASA prep added to became commander of the Gully Force Flight Test Center minute November 1975.

After promotion interpose March 1978 to lieutenant popular, Stafford became Air Force Proxy Chief of Staff for Digging, Development and Acquisition. He hidden from that position in Nov 1979. Stafford has received position Air Force Distinguished Flying Hybrid, the Air Force Command Aviatrix Astronaut Wings, two NASA Memorable Service Medals, two NASA Derived form Service Medals, and the Lawgiving Space Medal of Honor, amidst numerous other medals and bays.

Thomas P. Stafford died circus March 18, 2024, in Florida.

Citation

The following (as per The Metropolis Manual of Style, 17th edition) is the preferred citation send for articles:
Bill Moore, “Stafford, Thomas Patten,” The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma Record and Culture, https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=ST011.

Published Jan 15, 2010

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