Walter M. Schirra
NASA Astronaut

Born 12th March 1923

PERSONAL DATA
Born: Born March 12, 1923, in Hackensack, New Jersey.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Brown hair; brown eyes; height: 5 feet 10 inches; weight: 185 pounds.

EDUCATION
Schirra graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1945 and Naval Flight Training, Pensacola, Florida in 1947. Honorary Doctorate in Astronautical Engineering, Lafayette College; Honorary Doctorate in Astronautics, Newark College of Engineering; Honorary Doctorate in Science, University of Southern California. (NASA Astronaut Training, beginning April 1959 - ending July 1969).

MARITAL STATUS
Married to the former Josephine Fraser of Seattle, Washington.

CHILDREN:
Walter M., III, June 23, 1950; Suzanne, September 29, 1957.

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
His hobbies include skiing, hunting, sailing, and fishing.

OTHER ACTIVITIES
Director, Rocky Mountain Airways; U.S. Department of Interior Advisory Board on National Parks, Historical Sites and Monuments; Honorary Belgian Consul, Colorado; Director, Electromedics, Colorado and Director Watt Count, Nashville, Tennessee.

ORGANIZATIONS
33 Mason; Fellow, Society of Engineering Test Pilots; Fellow, American Astronautical Society.

SPECIAL HONORS
U.S. Distinguished Service Medal; three DFCs; two Air Medals; two NASA DSMs; two NASA Exceptional Service Medals; Navy Astronaut Wings; Collier Trophy; Kitty Hawk Award; Great American Award; Golden Key Award; Haley Astronautic Award; Aerospace Hall of Fame.

EXPERIENCE
1948-1959: Pilot, Officer, United States Navy, Carrier Based Fighter Pilot, Operations Officer and Test Pilot. Flew with the U.S. Air Force as an exchange (Jet Fighter) Pilot during the Korean conflict.

1959-1969: One of the original seven astronauts and the only astronaut to have flown on all three spacecraft - Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. As Command Pilot, he flew the initial flight of the Apollo series (Apollo 7) and was deeply involved in the quality assurance and quality control aspects of the "total vehicle system."

1969-1970: Following retirement from the U.S. Navy and NASA, Schirra accepted the Presidency of Regency Investors, Inc., a major financial complex and world-wide leasing company based in Denver, Colorado. Regency specialized in leasing oil completion equipment, jet transport aircraft and major facilities.

1970-1972: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the ECOO Corp., an environmental control company. As head of ECCO Corp., Schirra was instrumental in forming a new concept in environmental management. ECOO was designed to provide quick reaction to the environmental problems of government, industry and private business and the application of systems management techniques to their solution.

January 1973: Elected Vice Chairman of the Board, SERNCO, Inc.

July 1973: Elected Chairman of the Board, SERNCO, Inc.

January 1975: Director of Technology Purchase, Johns-Manville Corporation.

October 1976: Director, Power Plant and Aerospace Systems, Johns-Manville.

January 1978: Vice President, Development, Goodwin Company, Inc.

January 1979: President, Schirra Enterprises.