  james donald "wxb" wetherbee (born november 27, 1952), (capt, usn, ret.), is a retired american naval officer and aviator, test pilot, aerospace engineer and a former nasa astronaut. he is a veteran of six space shuttle missions and is the only american to have commanded five spaceflight missions. ==biography== ===early life and education=== wetherbee was born on november 27, 1952, in flushing, new york, and raised in huntington station, new york.kerr, kathleen. alec is ba "they began here: around the country, leading thinkers in health and science can trace their roots to long island", newsday, july 16, 2008. accessed september 17, 2008. he enjoys tennis, skiing, softball, running, and music. he graduated from holy family diocesan high school in south huntington, new york, in 1970. he earned a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering from the university of notre dame in 1974. ===navy service=== following his graduation from the notre dame, he received his commission in the united states navy. he was designated a aviator in december 1976. after training in the a-7e, he was assigned to attack squadron 72 (va-72) from august 1977 to november 1980 aboard the uss john f. kennedy and logged 125 night carrier landings. after attending the u.s. naval test pilot school, patuxent river, maryland, in 1981 he was assigned to the systems engineering test directorate. he was a project officer and test pilot for the weapons delivery system and avionics
1952_births American_astronauts American_test_pilots BP_people Living_people People_from_Huntington_Station,_New_York People_from_Queens,_New_York Recipients_of_the_Distinguished_Flying_Cross_(United_States) Recipients_of_the_NASA_Distinguished_Service_Medal United_States_Astronaut_Hall_of_Fame_inductees United_States_Naval_Aviators United_States_Naval_Test_Pilot_School_alumni United_States_Navy_astronauts United_States_Navy_officers University_of_Notre_Dame_alumni