Frederick D. Gregory (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) - Helicopter Pilot and Astronaut
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Colonel Gregory was the featured speaker at the 2006 USAF HELICOPTER PILOT ASSOCIATION Reunion in Orlando
NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)
PERSONAL DATA: Born January 7,
1941, in Washington, D.C. Married to the former Barbara Archer of
Washington, D.C. They have two grown children. Frederick, D., Jr., is
a Captain in the Air Force, and a graduate of Stanford University.
Heather Lynn is a social worker and graduate of Sweet Briar College.
Recreational interests include water skiing, fishing, hunting,
specialty cars, and stereo equipment.
EDUCATION: Graduated
from Anacostia High School, Washington, D.C., in 1958; received a
bachelor of science degree from the United States Air Force Academy
in 1964, and a master’s degree in information systems from
George Washington University in 1977.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member,
Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Order of Daedalians, American
Helicopter Society, Air Force Academy Association of Graduates, the
Air Force Association, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the National
Technical Association, and the Tuskegee Airmen. He is also on the
Board of Directors for the Young Astronaut Council, the Challenger
Center for Space Science Education, and the Virginia Air and Space
Center-Hampton Roads History Center.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded
the Defense Superior Service Medal, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses,
the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal,
16 Air Medals, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and 3 NASA Space
Flight Medals. Recipient of the NASA Outstanding Leadership Award;
the National Society of Black Engineers Distinguished National
Scientist Award (1979); an honorary doctor of science degree from the
University of the District of Columbia (1986); and the George
Washington University Distinguished Alumni Award. Designated an "Ira
Eaker Fellow" by the Air Force Association. Recipient of
numerous NASA group and individual achievement awards as well as
civic and community awards.
EXPERIENCE: After graduating from
the United States Air Force Academy in 1964, Gregory entered pilot
training and attended undergraduate helicopter training at Stead Air
Force Base, Nevada. He received his wings in 1965 and was assigned as
an H-43 helicopter rescue pilot at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, from October
1965 until May 1966. In June 1966, he was assigned as an H-43 combat
rescue pilot at Danang AB, Vietnam. When he returned to the United
States in July 1967, he was assigned as a missile support helicopter
pilot flying the UH-1F at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. In January 1968,
Gregory was retrained as a fixed-wing pilot flying the T-38 at
Randolph AFB, Texas. He was then assigned to the F-4 Phantom Combat
Crew Training Wing at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. Gregory attended
the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval Air
Station, Maryland, from September 1970 to June 1971. Following
completion of this training, he was assigned to the 4950th Test Wing,
Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, as an operational test pilot flying
fighters and helicopters. In June 1974, Gregory was detailed to the
NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. He served as a
research test pilot at Langley until selected for the Astronaut
Program in January 1978. Gregory has logged more than 6,976 hours
flying time in over 50 types of aircraft -- including 550 combat
missions in Vietnam. He holds an FAA commercial and instrument
certificate for single- and multi-engine airplanes and helicopters.
He has authored or co-authored several papers in the areas of
aircraft handling qualities and cockpit design.
NASA
EXPERIENCE: Gregory was selected as an astronaut in January 1978. His
technical assignments included: Astronaut Office representative at
the Kennedy Space Center during initial Orbiter checkout and launch
support for STS-1 and STS-2; Flight Data File Manager; lead
spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM); Chief, Operational Safety, NASA
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.; Chief, Astronaut Training; and a
member of the Orbiter Configuration Control Board and the Space
Shuttle Program Control Board. A veteran of three Shuttle missions he
has logged over 455 hours in space. He served as pilot on STS-51B
(April 29 to May 6, 1985), and was the spacecraft commander on STS-33
(November 22-27, 1989), and STS-44 (November 24 to December 1, 1991).
Gregory served at NASA Headquarters as Associate Administrator for
the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (1992-2001), Associate
Administrator for the Office of Space Flight (2001-2002), and NASA
Deputy Administrator (2002-2005). Gregory resigned from NASA in
October 2005.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-51B/Spacelab-3
launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on April 29, 1985. The
crew aboard the Orbiter Challenger included spacecraft commander,
Robert Overmyer; mission specialists, Norman Thagard, William
Thornton, and Don Lind; and payload specialists, Taylor Wang and
Lodewijk Vandenberg. On this second flight of the laboratory
developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), the crew conducted a
broad range of scientific experiments ranging from space physics to
the suitability of animal-holding facilities. The crew also deployed
the Northern Utah Satellite (NUSAT). After seven days of
around-the-clock scientific operations, Challenger and its laboratory
cargo landed on the dry lakebed at Edwards AFB, California, on May 6,
1985. Mission duration was 168 hours, 8 minutes, 47seconds.
STS-33
launched at night, from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on November
22, 1989. On board the Orbiter Discovery, Gregory’s crew
included the pilot, John Blaha, and three mission specialists, Manley
(Sonny) Carter, Story Musgrave, and Kathryn Thornton. The mission
carried Department of Defense payloads and other secondary payloads.
After 79 orbits of the Earth, this five-day mission concluded on
November 27, 1989, with a hard surface landing on Runway 04 at
Edwards AFB, California. Mission duration was 120 hours, 7 minutes,
32 seconds.
STS-44 launched at night from the Kennedy Space
Center, Florida, on November 24, 1991. During 110 orbits of the
Earth, the crew successfully deployed their prime payload, the
Defense Support Program (DSP) satellite. They worked on a variety of
secondary payloads ranging from the Military Man in Space experiment
designed to evaluate the ability of a space borne observer to gather
information about ground troops, equipment and facilities, and also
participated in extensive studies evaluating medical countermeasures
to long duration space flight. The crew aboard the Orbiter Atlantis
included the pilot Tom Henricks; three mission specialists, Story
Musgrave, Jim Voss, and Mario Runco Jr.; and payload specialist Tom
Hennen. The mission concluded on December 1, 1991, with a landing at
Edwards Air Force Base in California. Mission duration was 166 hours,
50 minutes, 42 seconds.
Information and photo courtesy of NASA
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