¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ

Former NASA Astronaut

Why did you decide to come to Leeds?

I graduated from Leeds when it was still called the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ School of Business in 1953. Before entering the school, I had been uncertain as to what my career direction should be. I was trying to decide between engineering, geology and business. I finally decided on business because it would be a useful background no matter what direction my career might take.

Could you share an experience (or two) that was particularity memorable at Leeds?
In the early 1950s, there was a student advisory board for the School of Business. I was elected by the student body to be president of the board, a position that I held for one year. There were an outstanding group of people on the board. Although we only discussed minor student-related problems, it gave us a sense of participation in the school’s affairs.

Any particular professors or mentors that influenced you while you were at Leeds?
Although there were many excellent professors, I respected and liked Dean Peterson the most. He was wise and exerted a good influence in our advisory board meetings.

Where has life taken you since you graduated Leeds?
After graduation in 1953, I became a Marine Corps officer. Eventually I was trained to be a Marine Corps fighter pilot, serving part of my four-year active-duty tour in Atsugi, Japan. After my release from active duty, I returned to ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ to obtain an Aeronautical engineering degree. Then, I was hired on as a flight test engineer in Burbank, California. Later, I became an Engineering test pilot for Lockheed—a California-based company in the city of Palmdale—test flying export versions of the F–104 fighter. At the same time, I graduated with an MBA from UCLA In 1964, and I was assigned by Lockheed to a two-year stint with the West Germans as their chief test pilot at a Istres, an Air Force base in Southern France. In 1966, I was one of 19 pilots selected by NASA in the fifth group of astronauts. My career with NASA included flying as Command Module Pilot on the Apollo/Soyuz mission in 1975 and later serving as Commander of three Space Shuttle missions. I retired as an executive at the NASA Armstrong Flight Test Center in 2008.

What is one piece of advice/best practice that has stuck with you throughout your career?
Be persistent. Try hard. Never give up. Miracles sometimes happen. You will find that not all bosses are good. Appreciate it when you get a really good boss who is motivated to advance your career.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
Be trained in several areas. My education was in business, engineering, and piloting. I used all of it.
 

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November 2019