Skylab astronaut

Biographical Data

Born January 23, 1930, in Okemah, Oklahoma.

Married
Children 3

Died March 3, 2014, in Cocoa Beach, Florida

Education

Bachelor of Science in Education Oklahoma Baptist University, 1951
Master of Science in Mathematics Oklahoma State University, 1960
Honorary Doctorate of Science Oklahoma Baptist University, 1974

Military Career

Enlisted in the Air Force in 1951.
Commissioned in 1952.
Served with the Fifth Air Force during the Korean Conflict, 1953-1954.

Member of the USAF Thunderbirds from 1955 to 1957.

Assistant professor of mathematics at the USAF Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1960-1963.

Completed a two-year tour as test pilot with the British Ministry of Aviation under the USAF/RAF Exchange Program in September 1965.

Instructor at the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base from 1965 to 1966.

Retired from the Air Force as a Colonel on September 1, 1975.

NASA Career

Selected as an astronaut in April 1966.

Member of the astronaut support crews for Apollo VII, Apollo XI and Apollo XIV.

Pilot of Skylab IV, the final manned visit to the Skylab Space Station, November 16, 1973-February 8, 1974.

Post-NASA Career

Self-employed as a consultant to aerospace.

Producer of general viewer videos on space flight.

Organizations

member, Air Force Association Explorers Club
member, American Astronautical Society
member, Association of Space Explorers

Awards and Honors

Johnson Space Center Superior Achievement Award (1970)
NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1974)
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Outstanding Unit Citation (as a member of the Thunderbirds)
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Command Pilot Astronaut Wings (1974)
City of Chicago Gold Medal (1974)
Robert J. Collier Trophy for 1973 (1974)
City of New York Gold Medal (1974)
Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy for 1975 (1975)
Federation Aeronautique Internationale's De La Vaulx Medal for 1974 (1975)
FAI V.M. Komarov Diploma for 1974 (1975)
General Thomas D. White USAF Space Trophy for 1974 (1975)
Academy of Arts and Sciences of Oklahoma State University Fellowship (1975)
AIAA Haley Astronautics Award for 1974 (1975)
American Astronautical Society's 1975 Flight Achievement Award (1976)
induction into the 5 Civilized Tribes Hall of Fame (1975)
induction into Oklahoma Aviation and Space Hall of Fame (1980)
Oklahoma Aviation and Space Museum's Clarence E. Page Memorial Trophy (1989)

SOURCE
Astronaut Biographies www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/pogue-wr.html

SEE ALSO
Oklahoma
United States Air Force Academy
Skylab IV

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This page was last updated on 05/27/2017.