Edward White

White was assigned to the 22nd Fighter Squadron at Bitburg Air Base in West Germany, where he spent three and a half years flying North American F-86 Sabre and North American F-100 Super Sabre fighters.

Among his colleagues were Buzz Aldrin, who graduated a year ahead of him at West Point, and James Salter.

Edward Higgins White II (November 14, 1930 – January 27, 1967) was an American aeronautical engineer, United States Air Force officer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut.

He was a member of the crews of Gemini 4 and Apollo 1.

Edward Higgins White II was born on November 14, 1930, in San Antonio, Texas, the son of Edward Higgins White Sr. (1901–1978), a West Point graduate (Class of 1924) who later rose to become major general in the United States Air Force (USAF), and Mary Rosina White (Haller; 1900–1983).

He had a younger brother, James Blair White (1942–1969), and an older sister, Jeanne.

His interest in aviation was sparked at the age of twelve when his father took him for a ride in a North American T-6 Texan trainer.

He became a member of the Boy Scouts of America, where he earned the rank of Second Class Scout.

Due to the nature of his father's job, White's family moved often to different military bases across the country throughout his childhood.

The White family moved from San Antonio, Texas to Dayton, Ohio, where he attended Oakwood Junior High School, and to Washington, D.C., where he attended Western High School.

After graduating in 1948, he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and attend West Point, but his family's peripatetic life presented a problem: an appointment to West Point from a United States Congressman was required, and the family had not been continuously resident in any one place for very long.

White went down to the Capitol and knocked on Congressmen's doors seeking an appointment, armed with a glowing reference from his high school principal.

He eventually secured one from Congressman Ross Rizley from Oklahoma.

White entered West Point on July 15, 1948.

He acquired the nickname "Red" from the color of his hair.

Under a 1949 agreement, up to 25percent of the graduating classes of West Point and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis could volunteer for the Air Force.

Between 1950, when the agreement became effective, and 1959, when the first class graduated from the United States Air Force Academy, about 3,200 West Point cadets and Annapolis midshipmen chose to do so.

White received his initial pilot training at Bartow Air Base, Florida, and his jet training at James Connally Air Force Base, Texas.

After graduating from West Point in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science degree, White was sent to flight training, and assigned to the 22nd Fighter Day Squadron at Bitburg Air Base, West Germany, where he flew the F-86 Sabre and F-100 Super Sabre fighters.

While at West Point, White competed for a spot on the 1952 U.S. Olympic team in the 400 meter hurdles race, but missed qualification in the heat by 0.4 seconds.

White was also a half-back on the West Point soccer team.

His hobbies included squash, handball, swimming, golf, and photography.

His classmates included Michael Collins, who later became an astronaut as well.

Upon graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree from West Point, ranked 128th out of 523 in the Class of 1952, White was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force.

After receiving his pilot wings in 1953, White was assigned to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, for Fighter Gunnery School.

In February 1953, White married Patricia Eileen Finegan (1934–1983), whom he had met at a West Point football game.

They had two children, Edward Higgins White III (born in 1953) and Bonnie Lynn White (born in 1956).

In 1957, White read an article about the astronauts of the future, and decided to become one.

He believed that getting an advanced degree would improve his chances of being selected.

Aldrin later recalled that White convinced him to follow this path as well.

In 1958, he enrolled in the University of Michigan to study aeronautical engineering, receiving his Master of Science degree in 1959.

White then received test pilot training at Edwards Air Force Base, California, before being assigned as a test pilot for the Aeronautical Systems Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

White was selected as one of the second group of astronauts, the so-called "Next Nine", who were chosen to take part in the Gemini and Apollo missions.

He was assigned as pilot of Gemini 4 alongside command pilot James McDivitt.

In September 1958, White enrolled in the University of Michigan under Air Force sponsorship to study aeronautical engineering.

His classmates included James McDivitt, Jim Irwin and Ted Freeman.

On June 3, 1965, White became the first American to walk in space.

He was then assigned as senior pilot of the first crewed Apollo mission, Apollo 1.

White died on January 27, 1967, alongside astronauts Virgil "Gus" Grissom and Roger B. Chaffee in a fire during pre-launch testing for Apollo 1 at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

He was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal for his flight in Gemini 4 and was then awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor posthumously.