THOMAS P. STAFFORD, LIEUTENANT GENERAL, U.S. AIR FORCE (RET.)

NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)

PERSONAL DATA: Born September 17, 1930, in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Married to 

the former Linda Ann Dishman of Chelsea, Oklahoma. They have two adopted sons, 

Michael Thomas and Stanislav “Stas” Patten. First marriage was to the former Faye L. 

Shoemaker. They have two daughters, Dionne Kay and Karin Elaine as well as two 

grandsons, Thomas P. Stafford II and Andrew Alexi Harrison. Linda has two children 

from a previous marriage, Kassie Neering and Mark Hill, and four grandchildren: Sloane, 

Lee, Marcus and Tara. He enjoys bird hunting, scuba diving, fishing and deep sea fishing 

and swimming.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Weatherford High School, Weatherford, Oklahoma; 

received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the United States Naval Academy 

in 1952. In addition, General Stafford is the recipient of several honorary degrees. These 

include a doctorate of laws from Oklahoma State University, the University of Cordoba, 

Argentina, a doctorate of humane letters, University of Oklahoma; a doctorate of science 

from Oklahoma City University; a doctorate of laws, Western State University, Los 

Angeles California; doctorate of communications, Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts; a doctorate of aeronautical 

engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, and a doctorate of humanities, Oklahoma Christian 

College, Edmond, Oklahoma, and a masters of humane letters, Southwestern University, Weatherford, Oklahoma.

ORGANIZATION: Fellow of the American Astronautical Society, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the 

Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and a member of the Masonic Lodge.

SPECIAL HONORS: NASA Distinguished Service Medals (4), NASA Exceptional Service Medals (2), Air Force Distinguished 

Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Outstanding 

Unit Award with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Command Pilot Astronaut Wings. Other 

awards include Congressional Space Medal of Honor, Wright Brother Memorial Trophy, the American Institute of Aeronautics and 

Astronautics (AIAA) Chanute Flight Award, the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Space Award, National Geographic Society's 

General Thomas D. White USAF Space Trophy, Federation Aeronautique Internationale Gold Space Medal. In 1966, he was corecipient of the IAAA Award. He was honored with the Harmon International Aviation Trophy in 1966 and 1976. In 1969 he 

received the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Special Trustees Award and in 1978 the Los Angeles Area 

Chamber of Commerce Kitty Hawk Sands of Time Award; received the Society of Experimental Test Pilots James H. Doolittle 

Award for Management, September 1979, October 1979, received the NASA Medal for outstanding leadership, one of the 

Agency's highest awards. He was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame and received the Rotary National Award for Space 

Achievement (RNASA). He served as the Chairman of the Operations Oversight Committee of the first Hubble Telescope 

Spacecraft Servicing and Repair Mission that corrected the design and manufacturing defect of the instrument. In 1994, NASA 

recognized his tremendous efforts and presented him with the NASA Public Service Award for the Hubble Telescope Service and 

Repair Mission. General Stafford was inducted into the Oklahoma Commerce and Industry Hall of Honor in October 1994, and to 

the National Aviation Hall of Fame and the Aerospace Walk of Honor in 1997. Designated as a distinguished graduate of the 

United States Naval Academy, United States Air Force Lifetime Achievement Award, and a member of the National Academy of 

Engineering. 

EXPERIENCE: General Stafford graduated with honors in 1952 from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, and was 

commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He received his pilot wings at Connally AFB, Waco, Texas, in 

September 1953. He completed advanced interceptor training and was assigned to the 54th Flight Interceptor Squadron, Ellsworth 

AFB, Rapid City, South Dakota. In December 1955 he was assigned to the 496th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Hahn Air Base, 

Germany, where he performed the duties of pilot, flight leader, and flight test maintenance office, flying F-86Ds. He attended the 

USAF Experimental Test Pilot School and received The A.B. Honts Award as the Outstanding Graduate. He was an instructor in 

flight test training and specialized academic subjects-establishing basic textbooks and directing the writing of flight test manuals for 

use by the staff and students. He is co-author of the Pilot's Handbook for Performance Flight Testing and the Aerodynamics 

Handbook for Performance Flight Testing.

General Stafford was selected among the second group of astronauts in September 1962 by the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA) to participate in Projects Gemini and Apollo. In December 1965, he piloted Gemini VI the first 

rendezvous in space, and helped develop techniques to prove the basic theory and practicality of space rendezvous. In June 1966 

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Biographical Data

 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

 Houston, Texas 77058
he commanded Gemini IX and performed a demonstration of an early rendezvous that would be used in the Apollo lunar missions, 

the first optical rendezvous, and a lunar orbit abort rendezvous. From August 1966 to October 1968 he headed the mission 

planning analysis and software development responsibilities for the astronaut group for Project Apollo General Stafford was the 

lead member of the group, which helped formulate the sequence of missions leading to the first lunar landing mission. As 

Astronaut Project Manager, he demonstrated and implemented the theory of a pilot manually flying the Saturn V booster into orbit 

and the translunar injection maneuver.

General Stafford was commander of Apollo 10 in May 1969, first flight of the lunar module to the moon, he descended to nine 

miles above the moon performing the entire lunar landing mission except the actual landing. He performed the first rendezvous 

around the Moon, and designated the first lunar landing site.

He also made reconnaissance and tracking on future Apollo landing sites. General Stafford was cited in the Guinness Book of 

World Records for highest speed ever attained by man that occurred during Apollo 10 reentry when the spacecraft attained 24,791 

statute miles per hour.

He was assigned as head of the astronaut group in June 1969, responsible for the selection of flight crews for projects Apollo and 

Skylab. He reviewed and monitored flight crew training status reports, and was responsible for coordination, scheduling, and 

control of all activities involving NASA astronauts.

In June 1971, General Stafford was assigned as Deputy Director of Flight Crew Operations at the NASA Manned Space flight 

Center. He was responsible for assisting the director in planning and implementation of programs for the astronaut group, the 

Aircraft Operations, Flight Crew Integration, Flight Crew Procedures, and Crew Simulation and Training Divisions.

He logged his fourth space flight as Apollo commander of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission, July 15-24, 1975, a joint 

space flight culminating in the historic first meeting in space between American Astronauts and Soviet Cosmonauts, which ended 

the International space race.

General Stafford was the first member of his Naval Academy Class of 1952 to pin on the first, second and third stars of a General 

Officer. He has flown six rendezvous in space; logged 507 hours and 43 minutes in space flight and wore the Air Force command 

Pilot Astronaut Wings. He has flown over 127 different types of aircraft and helicopters and four different types of spacecraft.

General Stafford assumed command of the Air Force Flight Test Center November 4, 1975. He was promoted to the grade of 

Major General August 9, 1975, with date of rank of June 1, 1973.

Gen. Stafford was promoted Lt. Gen. on March 15, 1978 and on May 1, 1978 assumed the duties as the Deputy Chief of Staff, 

Research, Development and Acquisition, HQ USAF, Wash., DC. During this time Gen. Stafford personally initiated the F-117A 

Stealth Fighter. In early 1979, he wrote the initial desired specifications on and started the advanced technology bomber ATB 

development, now designated the B-2 “Stealth Bomber”. He initiated the AGM-129 Stealth Cruise Missile. General Stafford 

retired from the Air Force in November 1979.

In June of 1990, Vice President Quayle and Admiral Richard Truly, then NASA Administrator, asked General Stafford to Chair a 

team to independently advise NASA how to carry out President Bush's vision of returning to the Moon, this time to stay, and then 

go on to explore Mars. General Stafford assembled teams of 40 full-time and 150 part-time members from the DOD, DOE and 

NASA, and completed the study called "America at the Threshold", a road map for the next 30 years of the U.S. Manned Space 

Flight Program. General Stafford and Vice President Quayle held a joint Press Conference at the White House in June 1991 to 

announce the recommendations to the public. The Clinton Administration directed a review of all federally-funded research and 

development plans of the Executive Branch in 1994. Gen. Stafford chaired the committee to review and make recommendations to

enhance the efficiency of the R&D initiatives of the NASA Human Exploration Enterprise that included JSC, KSC, MSFC and 

SSFC.

He co-founded the Technical Consulting Firm of Stafford, Burke, and Hecker, Inc. in Alexandria, Virginia. He has served on 

numerous Boards of Directors of corporations listed on the New York Stock Exchange, one listed on the American Exchange, and

two others. He has served as an advisor to a number of governmental agencies including NASA and the Air Force Systems 

Command. He was a defense advisor to Governor Ronald Reagan during the presidential campaign and a member of the Reagan 

Presidential transition team. He served on the National Research Council's Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board; the 

Committee on NASA Scientific and Technological Program Reviews and Vice President Quayle's Space Policy Advisory Council. 

He was Chairman of the NASA Advisory Council Task Force on Shuttle-Mir Rendezvous and Docking Missions and Co-Chairman 

of the Stafford-Covey Space Shuttle Return to Flight Task Group after the Shuttle Columbia accident. He is currently Chairman of

the NASA Advisory Council Task Force for ISS Safety and Operational Readiness. 

MARCH 2014

This is the only version available from NASA. Updates must be sought direct from the above named individual.