James McDivitt
1929 – 2022

James McDivitt

American astronaut and test pilot (1929-2022)

enlisted personaircraft pilotexecutivetest pilotmilitary officer
Born
1929-06-10, Chicago
Died
2022-10-13
Birthplace state
Illinois

Biography

James McDivitt was born in Chicago on June 10, 1929, and died on October 13, 2022. He served as a United States Air Force pilot and test pilot, and worked as an astronaut in the Gemini and Apollo programs. After joining the USAF in 1951, he flew 145 combat missions during the Korean War. In 1959, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Michigan through the AFIT program and qualified as a test pilot at the Air Force Experimental Flight Test Pilot School and Aerospace Research Pilot School. By September 1962, he had logged more than 2,500 flight hours, including over 2,000 hours in jet aircraft, and served as a chase pilot for Robert M. White's X-15 flight on July 17, 1962.

Occupation

James McDivitt is recorded as a enlisted person, a aircraft pilot, a executive, a test pilot, a military officer and a astronaut, born in Illinois (1929–2022).

Connections to Illinois

James McDivitt was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1929. Explore other notable figures from Illinois, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from IllinoisIllinoishistory ›Historic sites in Illinois
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
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The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Points of Interest
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More notable figures from Illinois

Other historical figures born in Illinois, ranked by historical prominence.

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Ronald Reagan
president of the United States from 1981 to 1989 and actor (1911-2004)
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
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Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
American author and journalist (1899–1961)
Robin Williams
Robin Williams
American actor and comedian (1951–2014)
Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
American author and screenwriter (1920–2012)
Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
American chess player (1943–2008)
James Watson
James Watson
American molecular biologist, geneticist, zoologist and Nobel Laureate (1928–2025)

Frequently asked about James McDivitt

Who was James McDivitt?
James McDivitt was American astronaut and test pilot (1929-2022), born in Illinois (1929 – 2022).
When and where was James McDivitt born?
James McDivitt was born on 1929-06-10 in Chicago.
When did James McDivitt die?
James died on 2022-10-13.
What was James McDivitt known for?
James McDivitt is recorded as a enlisted person, a aircraft pilot, a executive, a test pilot, a military officer and a astronaut.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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