Richard F. Gordon Jr.

Richard F. Gordon Jr.
Name	Richard F. Gordon Jr.
Caption	Gordon in official NASA portrait
Type	NASA Astronaut
Nationality	American
Status	Deceased
Birth date	5 October 1929
Birth place	Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Death date	6 November 2017
Death place	San Marcos, California, U.S.
Occupation	Naval aviator, test pilot
Rank	Captain, United States Navy
Selection	1963 NASA Group 3
Time	13d 3h 53m
Mission	Gemini 11, Apollo 12
Insignia	40px 40px
Awards	NASA Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal

Richard F. Gordon Jr. was an American naval officer, aviator, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. He served as command module pilot for the Apollo 12 mission, the second crewed lunar landing, after previously flying as pilot on the Gemini 11 mission. A decorated naval aviator, Gordon's career was marked by significant contributions to spaceflight and aeronautical testing before his retirement from both NASA and the United States Navy.

Early life and education

Richard Francis Gordon Jr. was born on October 5, 1929, in Seattle, Washington. He attended Northwestern University for a year before transferring to the University of Washington in Seattle, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 1951. During his time at the University of Washington, he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and participated in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program, which commissioned him as an ensign in the United States Navy.

Naval career

Gordon was commissioned into the United States Navy in 1953 after completing flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida. He served as a fighter pilot with various squadrons, including Fighter Squadron 121 and Fighter Squadron 96, flying aircraft like the F9F Panther and the F-11 Tiger. He later attended the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, graduating in 1957. As a test pilot, he worked on projects for the F-4 Phantom II and set a transcontinental speed record in 1961, flying from Los Angeles to New York City in under three hours.

NASA career

Selected as part of NASA Astronaut Group 3 in October 1963, Gordon's first spaceflight assignment was as pilot for Gemini 11 in September 1966. Alongside command pilot Charles "Pete" Conrad, he successfully completed a direct-ascent rendezvous with an Agena target vehicle and performed two spacewalks, though the latter was cut short due to fatigue. Following this mission, he served on the support crew for Apollo 9 and as backup command module pilot for Apollo 9's prime crew, which included James McDivitt and Russell Schweickart.

Apollo 12 mission

Gordon's second and final spaceflight was as command module pilot of Apollo 12 in November 1969. While commander Charles "Pete" Conrad and lunar module pilot Alan Bean descended to the Ocean of Storms in the Intrepid, Gordon remained in lunar orbit aboard the command module Yankee Clipper. He conducted extensive photographic and scientific observations of the lunar surface, including potential future landing sites like the Fra Mauro formation. His solo operations were critical to the mission's success, ensuring a safe rendezvous and return to Earth.

Post-NASA career and death

After leaving NASA in 1972, Gordon held executive positions in several corporations, including serving as Executive Vice President of the New Orleans Saints National Football League team and later as President of the Astrotech International Corporation. He remained active in aerospace advocacy and was a frequent speaker at events for organizations like the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Richard F. Gordon Jr. died on November 6, 2017, at his home in San Marcos, California, due to complications from cancer. He was survived by his six children.

Awards and honors

Gordon received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. He was also awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the AIAA Octave Chanute Award, and the FAI Gold Space Medal. He was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1982 and the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1993. The Richard Gordon Transcontinental Speed Trophy was established in his honor by the National Aeronautic Association.

Category:American astronauts Category:Apollo astronauts Category:Gemini astronauts Category:United States Navy officers Category:1929 births Category:2017 deaths