Walter Schirra

Biography

Full Name: Walter “Wally” Marty Schirra Jr.
Born: March 12, 1923 in Hackensack, NJ
Died: May 3, 2007
Joined NASA: April 2, 1959
Left NASA: July 1, 1969
Space Flights: 3
Time in Space: 17 days, 7 hours, 12 minutes

MISSION ASSIGNMENTS

Mercury-Atlas 6
Assignment: Capcom (California)

Mercury-Atlas 7
Assignment: Back-up Pilot

Mercury-Atlas 8
October 3, 1962
Assignment: Pilot
Flight Duration: 9 hours, 13 minutes

Mercury-Atlas 9
Assignment: Capcom (Cape)

Gemini 3
Assignment: Back-up Command Pilot

Gemini 6A
December 15-16, 1965
Assignment: Command Pilot
Flight Duration: 1 day, 1 hour, 51 minutes

Apollo 1
Assignment: Back-up Commander

Apollo 7
October 11-22, 1968
Assignment: Commander
Flight Duration: 10 day, 20 hours, 8 minutes

HIGHLIGHTS

B.Sc., US Naval Academy, Annapolis, 1945

Received his “wings” in Pensacola, Florida, in 1947.

From 1947 to 1959 Schirra was a US Navy fighter pilot, Operations Officer and test pilot.

Graduated US Navy Test Pilot School, Patuxent Maryland, 1958.

Flew 90 combat missions in Korea as and exchange pilot with the US Air Force.

Took part in the development of the Sidewinder air to air missile.

October 1962, Piloted the third manned orbital mission remaining in space for a full working day.

December 1965, Command Pilot of the first spacecraft to rendezvous with another manned vehicle.

Commanded the first manned Apollo mission in October 1968.

After NASA, became a guest commentator with Walter Cronkite on CBS coverage of Apollo missions.

1969, President, Regency Investors Inc., Denver, Colorado.

1970-72, Chairman and CEO, Environmental Control Co.

1973-74, Chairman of the Board, SERNCO Inc.

1975, Director of Technology Purchases, Johns-Manville Co.

1976, Director of Power Plant & Aerospace Systems, Johns-Mansville.

1978, Vice-President of Development, Goodwin Co. Inc.

1979, President, Schirra Enterprises.

Board member and Director of a multitude of companies in the ensuing years.

Author of “Schirra’s Space”, 1988.

Gallery

Previous | Next