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Jack Swigert

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Jack Swigert
Member-elect of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 6th district

Died before taking office
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byDaniel Schaefer
Personal details
Born
John Leonard Swigert Jr.

August 30, 1931
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
DiedDecember 27, 1982(1982-12-27) (aged 51)
Washington D.C., U.S.
Cause of deathRespiratory failure caused by nasal and bone marrow cancer
Resting placeMount Olivet Cemetery,
Wheat Ridge, Colorado
NationalityAmerican
Political partyRepublican
Alma materUniversity of Colorado,
B.S. 1953
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, M.S. 1965
University of Hartford,
MBA 1967
OccupationFighter pilot, test pilot
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceU.S. Air Force (1953–1956)
MA ANG (1957–1960)
CT ANG (1960–1965)
Years of service1953–1965
Rank Captain
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Fighter pilot, test pilot
AwardsPresidential Medal of Freedom
Space career
Time in space
5d 22h 54m
Mission insignia
RetirementAugust 1977 [1]

John Leonard "Jack" Swigert Jr. (August 30, 1931 – December 27, 1982) was an American test pilot, mechanical engineer, aerospace engineer, United States Air Force pilot, and NASA astronaut, one of the 24 persons who have flown to the Moon.[2][3]

Swigert was born in Denver, Colorado. He studied at the University of Colorado Boulder, at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and at University of Hartford.

Before joining NASA in 1966, Swigert was a civilian test pilot and fighter pilot in the Air National Guard. After leaving NASA, he ran for Senate but lost in a primary election against Bill Armstrong. He later ran for the Congress for Colorado's new 6th district. Swigert won the election, but died before being sworn in.[4]

Swigert was diagnosed with nasal cancer while he was running for Congress.[5] At first doctors believed he would survive after treatment, however he was soon diagnosed with bone marrow cancer after having back pain in August 1982.[5] He died on December 27, 1982 in Washington, D.C. from respiratory failure caused by cancer, aged 51.[6]

President Richard Nixon awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the Apollo 13 crew shortly after the end of their mission.[7]

In 1995, Swigert was played by Kevin Bacon in Ron Howard's movie Apollo 13.[8]

References

[change | change source]
  1. "John L. Swigert Jr., NASA Astronaut (Deceased)". NASA JSC. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  2. Eicher, Diane (December 19, 1982). "Ex-astronaut's challenge". Beaver County Times. (Denver Post). p. B2.
  3. Treaster, Joseph B. (December 29, 1982). "Jack Swigert, astronaut elected to Congress, dies". New York Times. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  4. "Ex-Astronaut, Newly Elected to House, Dies". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. Associated Press. December 29, 1982. p. 12D – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Ex-Astronaut Swigert Campaigns for Congress, Against Cancer". Longview Daily News. Longview, Washington. Los Angeles Times. October 27, 1982. p. A4 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Jack Swigert loses fight against cancer". Ocala Star-Banner. Associated Press. Dec 28, 1982. p. 4D.
  7. "Heroes of Apollo 13 Welcomed by President and Loved Ones". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. April 19, 1970. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Ebert, Robert (June 30, 1995). "America's Derring-Do Resurrected". The Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. p. 43 – via Newspapers.com.

Other websites

[change | change source]

Media related to Jack Swigert at Wikimedia Commons