Background
Lovell,, James Arthur was born on March 25, 1928 in Cleveland. Son of James A. and Blanch Lovell.
Lovell,, James Arthur was born on March 25, 1928 in Cleveland. Son of James A. and Blanch Lovell.
Student, University Wisconsin, 1948. Bachelor of Science, United States Naval Academy, 1952. Graduate, Aviation Safety School, University Southern California, 1961.
Graduate Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business School, 1971.
Enlisted United States Navy, 1952, advanced through grades to captain, 1965. Served in Korean War. Test pilot Navy Air Test Center (now United States Naval Test Pilot School), Patuxent River, Maryland, 1958-1961.
Flight instructor, safety officer Fighter Squadron 101, Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. Selected as an astronaut with Manned Spacecraft Center National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1962. Backup pilot Gemini IV.
Pilot Gemini VII, first time 14 days were spent in space, crew flew 20 experiments, the most of any Gemini mission, investigated effects of extended periods in space on human body, first rendezvous (with Gemini VI) of 2 manned maneuverable spacecrafts, 1965. Commander Gemini XII, final Gemini mission, proved feasibility of astronauts working outside of the ship, experimented with photography in space, 1966. Command module pilot Apollo 8, first manned voyage to the moon, first humans to leave Earth's gravity, first humans to see the far side of the moon, made 10 lunar orbits.
Backup Commander Apollo 11, 1969. Spacecraft Commander, Apollo 13, first man to journey twice to the moon, an explosion from an oxygen tank damaged the service module and the crew converted the lunar module into a "lifeboat" which kept them alive in space until they used the ship's remaining power to land safely on Earth, 1970. Deputy director science and applications directorate Manned Spacecraft Center National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1971-1973.
Retired, 1973; with Bay-Houston Towing Company, 1973, Chief Executive Officer, 1975. President Fisk Telephone Systems, 1977—1981. Senior vice president administration, executive vice president Centel Corporation, Chicago, 1980—1991.
Fellow American Astronautical Society, Society Experimental Test Pilots. Member National Eagle Scout Association (past president), National Space Society (board governors), Lindbergh Foundation (board directors), Association Space Explorers, Golden Eagles, Toastmasters, Alpha Phi Omega.
Married Marilyn Gerlach, June 6, 1952. Children: Barbara Lynn, James Arthur, Susan Kay, Jeffrey C.