Capt Milburn Mel G. Apt 2 B.S. Engineering Sciences, 1951 Test Pilot Died Sept. 27, 1956

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1 Mr. George W. Abbey 1 M.S. Electrical Engineering, 1959 Fellow in Space Policy, Baker Institute of Rice University 2002, AFIT Distinguished Alumni Award Winner , Director, Johnson Space Center 1983 director of the Flight Crew Operations Directorate at Johnson Space Center (JSC), responsible for all space shuttle flight crews and JSC aircraft operations. Abbey selected the crews that flew during the early years of the space shuttle and put America s first woman in space when he assigned Sally Ride to the crew of 1983 s STS 7. Capt Milburn Mel G. Apt 2 B.S. Engineering Sciences, 1951 Test Pilot Died Sept. 27, 1956 The first pilot to achieve Mach 3 Killed as he tested the Bell X 2 the world s fastest plane at the time At 65,000 feet, the Bell X 2 reached Mach 3.2 (2,094 mph), making Apt the first man to fly more than three times the speed of sound 1 Information from 2 Photo and information from and pilot from kansas first to.html

2 Mr. David Barish 3 B.S. Aeronautical Engineering, 1948 Developer of the Paraglider Died Dec. 19, 2009 With two other aeronautical engineers, he competed in the early 1960s to design a parachutelike device that could lower the Apollo space capsule to earth, gently and on an angle But in the space race with the Soviet Union, NASA decided in 1964 to go with an old fashioned parachute and accept the bump that came with the splash when the capsule hit the ocean One of the competitors, Francis Rogallo, invented the hang glider, which with its skeletal frame differed from the paragliders designed by Mr. Barish and Domina Jalbert. Paragliders have no frame connecting the canopy to the flyer s harness. That allows them to be more easily taken by backpack into remote and rocky regions. After four years as a USAF test pilot, he left the service and became a consultant to the Air Force and, eventually, to NASA Colonel Arnold L. Franklin Jr. USAF, Ret 4 M.S. Engineering Physics, , Honored as an Eagle at the Gathering of the Eagles annual aviation event celebrating aviation legends 1986, Chief, Middle East, Africa, South Asia Division, Directorate of Plans and Operations, Headquarters USAF at the Pentagon , Commander, 493rd Tactical Fighter Squadron. In April 1986, as a squadron commander, Franklin led the USAF raid on Libya. 3 Photos and information from 4 Photo and information from

3 Dr. Russell M. Genet 5 M.S. Logistics Management, 1980 Pioneered the world s first fully robotic observatory, the Fairborn Observatory on Mt. Hopkins, Arizona and was featured in the PBS special The Perfect Stargazer Founded the Orion Observatory in Santa Margarita, California Established the magazine IAPPP Communications, the first international astronomical photometry journal 5 Photo and information from and

4 Lt Col George E. Hardy, USAF, Ret 67 M.S. Systems Engineering (Reliability), 1964 B.S. Electrical Engineering, 1957 Former Tuskegee Airman, Sarasota, FL The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military aviators in the United States armed forces Joined the 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group based at Ramitelli Air Base, Italy in April 1945 at 19 years old. His assigned aircraft was "Tall in the Saddle". During the closing months of World War II, flew 21 escort and strafing missions in North American P 51C and P 51D Mustangs After the Air Force desegregated in July 1949, Hardy was reassigned to the 19th Bomb Group (B 29s) on Guam. During the Korean War the 19th BG moved to Okinawa and flew bombing missions over Korea. George flew 45 combat missions over Korea. He was rated as a Command Pilot in September During the Vietnam War Hardy was assigned to the 18th Special Operations Squadron at Phan Rang AB, Vietnam from April 1970 to April He was the Operating Location Commander at Udorn, Thailand and then as Operating Location Commander at Danang AB, Vietnam he flew 70 combat missions in AC 119K Gunships over Northern Laos and along the Ho Chi Min Trail. Lt. Col Hardy retired from the Air Force in November His career decorations include the DFC with Valor, and the Air Medal with 11 Oak Leaf Clusters. 6 Photo and information from in tampa bay/tuskegee airman inspires at winterhaven library 7 Photo and information from ter

5 Donald S. Lopez, USAF, Ret. 8 B.S. Aeronautical Engineering, 1956 Deputy Director of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Died March 3, 2008 Lopez had been with the Smithsonian Institution since 1972, when he became part of the team led by Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins responsible for planning the construction and opening of the National Air and Space Museum As assistant director for Aeronautics, Lopez was instrumental in developing the exhibits that welcomed visitors during the museum's opening July 1, 1976 and have made it the most visited museum in the world A fighter pilot in the 23rd Fighter Group of the 14th Air Force successors of the legendary Flying Tigers in China where he flew 101 missions and tallied up five victories, the required number to be recognized as an "Ace." 8 Photo and Information from national air and space museums deputydirector and aviation legend donald lope

6 Forty eight hours after the crew of bomber #11 bailed out, they pose for a picture after being reunited in a small Chinese town before being moved to Chuhsien. From left are, Sgt. William Birch, bombardier; Lt. Frank Kappeler, navigator; Capt. C. Ross Greening, pilot; Lt. Ken Reddy, co pilot; and Sgt. Melvin Gardner, engineer/gunner. Lt Col Frank A. Kappeler, USAF, Ret 9 B.S. Engineering Sciences, 1947 Doolittle Raider Died June 23, 2010 On 18 April 1942, with the Doolittle mission, the United States struck its first substantial blow against Japan during World War II Served as navigator aboard the Doolittle Raid mission #11 Bailed out along with his fellow crewmen when their B 25 bomber engines stopped 10,000 feet over China. With the help of Chinese people he escaped capture by Japanese soldiers. Kappeler served the rest of the war in the European theater, completing 53 combat missions 9 Photos and information from

7 Lieutenant John A. Macready 10 Air Service Engineering School, 1923 American test pilot and aviator Died September 15, 1979 Lt Macready was the only three time recipient of the Mackay Trophy, receiving the trophy three consecutive years: once for the altitude flight of 34,509 feet, once for a transcontinental flight, and once for an endurance flight of 36 hours, 4 minutes and 32 seconds. In1921, Lt Macready became the first person to test fly an experimental aerial application system for spraying pesticides from an aircraft, flying the world's first "crop duster" In1924, he became a parachute pioneer as the first pilot to bail out of a stricken aircraft at night Lt Macready with Orville Wright. Wright verified the records of Macready s altitude flights. 10 Information from:

8 Crew of 4th Aircraft: Pilot Lt. E.W. Holstrom Co Pilot Lt. L.N. Youngblood Navigator Lt. H.C. McCool Bombardier Sgt. R.J. Stephens Engineer Gunner Cpl. B.M. Jordan Lt Col Harry C. McCool, USAF, Ret 11 B.S. Industrial Administration, 1949 Doolittle Raider Died 1 Feb 2003 On 18 April 1942, with the Doolittle mission, the United States struck its first substantial blow against Japan during World War II Served as navigator aboard the Doolittle Raid mission #4 Shortly after takeoff the rear gunner advised that the turret would not function, leaving the bomber protected only by a single.30 caliber nose gun. This became critical as the bomber approached land just south of Tokyo and was jumped by four Japanese fighter planes. The pilot ordered his bombs salvoed into Tokyo Bay before racing on to China. The crew bailed out over land when their fuel was expended. Lieutenant McCool went on to fly missions in the European Theater. Decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Chinese Army, Navy, and Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade Colonel Richard V. Wheeler, USAF, Ret 12 B.S. Engineering Sciences, 1948 American test pilot and aviator Died December 29, 2009 In 1950, Capt. Wheeler made a world record parachute jump of 42,449 feet (8 miles) at Holloman AFB, N.M. a feat which earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster Served as Chief of Parachute Test Section of the Aero Medical and Equipment Laboratory, which conducted live jump testing of experimental parachutes in a high altitude bail out program He flew 69 missions; the 33rd mission was part of the "D day" invasion of Normandy in World War II 11 Photo and Information from 12 Photos and Information from wheeler.html