Happy birthday, Gemini and Apollo astronaut James McDivitt!

James McDivitt, born June 10, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois, participated in both Gemini and Apollo programs.   He joined the US Air Force in 1951 and retired as brigadier general in 1972.

His first trip into space was as commander of Gemini IV in June 1965.  Fellow astronaut Edward White conducted the first EVA by an American during the mission.

His second and final mission was aboard Apollo 9 as commander in March 1969.  It was the first flight of the full Apollo spacecraft, with the command and service module (CSM) and the Lunar Module (LM).  The mission lasted ten days.

Edward Higgins White, first man to walk in space, born in 1930

Ed White II, born November 14, 1930, was the first man to walk in space during the 4 day Gemini IV mission in June 1965.  He received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal for his flight in Gemini IV. 

White was chosen for Apollo 1 along with Command Pilot Virgil "Gus" Grissom and Pilot Roger Chaffee, scheduled to launch February 21, 1967.  During a test of the capsule on January 27, all three men died when a fire broke out in the pure oxygen atmosphere.