Wally Schirra

Wally Schirra was a NASA astronaut, test pilot, and engineer. He flew on the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission and was the first American to orbit the Earth. Schirra was also a test pilot for the US Air Force and worked on the development of the X-15 rocket-powered aircraft. He was a pioneer in the field of astronautics and played a key role in the development of the Gemini spacecraft. Schirra was born on March 12, 1923, in Columbus, Ohio, and passed away on May 3, 2007. He was a decorated war veteran and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service in World War II.