Ed White (astronaut)

Ed White
White in 1966
Born	Edward Higgins White II (1930-11-14)November 14, 1930 San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Died	January 27, 1967(1967-01-27) (aged 36) Cape Kennedy, Florida, U.S.
Resting place	West Point Cemetery
Education	United States Military Academy (BS) University of Michigan (MS)
Awards	Air Force Commendation Medal Congressional Space Medal of Honor NASA Distinguished Service Medal NASA Exceptional Service Medal
Space career
NASA astronaut
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel, USAF
Time in space	4d 1h 56m
Selection	NASA Group 2 (1962)
Total EVAs	1
Total EVA time	36m
Missions	Gemini 4 Apollo 1
Mission insignia

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.

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. 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. 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.