Charles F. Bolden Jr.

Charles F. Bolden Jr. was born on August 19, 1946 in Columbia, South Carolina, USA as Charles Frank Bolden Jr.

His extensive schooling and training included graduation from C. A. Johnson High School in 1964; an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy; a bachelor of science degree in electrical science in 1968; a variety of positions in the Marine Corps; a master of science degree in systems management from the University of Southern California in 1977; and assignment to the Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Maryland.

After completing flight training in 1970, he became a naval aviator. Bolden flew more than 100 combat missions in North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia during 1972-1973.

After joining NASA's Astronaut Office in 1980, he traveled to orbit four times aboard the space shuttle between 1986 and 1994, commanding two of the missions.

Bolden was assigned as the Deputy Commanding General of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in the Pacific in 1997. During 1998, he served as Commanding General of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Forward in support of Operation Desert Thunder in Kuwait. Bolden was promoted to Major General in 1998 and named Deputy Commander of U.S. Forces in Japan. He retired from the Marine Corps in 2003. Bolden's many military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in May 2006.

Nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, retired Marine Corps Major General Charles Frank Bolden began his duties as the twelfth Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on July 17, 2009. As Administrator, his goal was to lead the NASA team and manage its resources to advance the agency's missions.