Summary Table of Contents: Introduction and family -- Education & Naval Academy -- First deployment -- Wanted to fly fighters -- Vietnam -- US Navy Test Pilot School -- Tomcat F-14 fighter -- Why was the F-14 special? -- Gerald Ford carrier -- Selection into the Astronaut Corp -- Early shuttle computers -- What a surprise to launch -- Wedding bells -- Challenger accident -- Department of Defense flight -- Third shuttle flight -- Going to work for Boeing -- Revisiting your Vietnam experiences --...

Interview Summary Astronaut Richard F. “Dick” Gordon is interviewed about his military service and spaceflight career. He describes his experiences as a naval aviator and test pilot during the 1950s, including his time testing the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II and his record-setting cross-country flight during Project LANA. He then discusses his career with NASA during the 1960s and early 1970s. Topics discussed include astronaut selection and training; his involvement with Gemini 8, Gemini 11, and Apollo 12; and...