James A. McDivitt, former NASA astronaut, who led the Gemini IV and Apollo 9 missions, died on October 13 at the age of 93.
McDivitt, who commanded the Gemini IV and Apollo 9 missions, passed away peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his family and friends in Tucson, Arizona, at the age of 93.
He had commanded the first U.S. mission to conduct a spacewalk before leading the first test flight of the Apollo moon lander in Earth orbit.
NASA's history office noted McDivitt's death on Thursday (October 13, 2022) in a post to its social media channels.
An elementary school in Old Bridge, New Jersey is named in McDivitt's honor, as is a hall at Jackson College in Michigan. McDivitt-White Plaza is located outside West Hall at the University of Michigan.
In 1974, McDivitt appeared as himself in the "Brady Bunch" episode "Out of This World." In 1998, he was portrayed by actor Conor O'Farrell in the HBO miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon."
In 2014, McDivitt contributed a chapter ("Career Limiting Capers") to "The Friday Pilots," edited and published by Don Shepperd.
During the Korean War, McDivitt enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1951, and he flew 145 combat missions in Korea, piloting F-80 Shooting Star and F-86 Sabre jet fighters with the 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron.
Early life & Education of McDivitt
McDivitt was born on June 10, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois, though he grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and was educated in the state.
Later he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Michigan, where he graduated first in his class in 1959.
He was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Experimental Test Pilot School and the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot course and served as an experimental test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base, California.