Astronaut Ed White
Aside from maybe Neil Armstrong, perhaps no other Astronaut has left such an amazing legacy as Edward Higgins White. White was born in Texas. He had an early interest in flight and later attended the United States Military Academy. In the Air Force, he flew many different jets. He was able to attain the rank of Lieutenant Colonel during his tenure in the military. He then became an experimental test pilot and was able to attain more than 3,000 hours in flight time.
He applied for NASA and was accepted as an Astronaut. His first mission was Gemini 4 in 1965. This flight made White one of the most respected Astronauts. He was the first American to exit the spacecraft and space-walk. Thousands of miles above the earth, White had the best view anyone could ask for. This mission was considered a huge leap in space-travel and opened up the doors for more possibilities. White was the backup pilot for Gemini 7.
White was selected to be the Command Module Pilot of the first Apollo mission. Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee would also be a part of the crew. During a routine test in Florida on the launch pad, the capsule caught on fire. Flames engulfed the spacecraft and the three astronauts perished. After his death, his name became a legacy. Many schools were named after him, helping the name of Ed White live on.
