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Collection:
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NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Astronaut Deke Slayton during World War II
Title
Astronaut Deke Slayton during World War II
Title
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Full Description:
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This World War II photograph shows future Astronaut Donald "Deke" K. Slayton (on right) and 1st Lt. Ed Steinman (on left) beside a Douglas A-26 bomber in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the summer of 1945. While the exact location is unknown, the photograph was most likely taken on Okinawa. 1st Lt. Slayton was one of only two NASA astronauts to fly combat missions during World War II.
Slayton was born in 1924 in Sparta, Wisconsin, and joined the Army Air Force soon after high school. He completed flight training in April 1943, and spent a year in Europe as a B-25 pilot with the 340th Bombardment Group, completing 56 combat missions. In 1944, he returned to the United States for a year before being assigned to Okinawa with the 319th Bombardment Group. As part of the first group to fly combat with the A-26 aircraft, he flew seven combat missions over Japan.
Slayton logged more the 6,600 hours of flying time, including 5,100 in jet aircraft. He was named as one of the seven Mercury astronauts in April 1959 and was scheduled to pilot the Mercury- Atlas 7 mission, but a heart condition prevented him from flying. After years of work as the Coordinator of Astronaut Activities and Director of Flight Crew Operations, he was again declared fit to fly in March 1972. Three years later he participated in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project as the Apollo docking module pilot. While he did not fly again, he continued to work for NASA until 1982 in a variety of capacities. He died on June 13, 1993.
Full_Description
This World War II photograph shows future Astronaut Donald "Deke" K. Slayton (on right) and 1st Lt. Ed Steinman (on left) beside a Douglas A-26 bomber in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the summer of 1945. While the exact location is unknown, the photograph was most likely taken on Okinawa. 1st Lt. Slayton was one of only two NASA astronauts to fly combat missions during World War II.
Slayton was born in 1924 in Sparta, Wisconsin, and joined the Army Air Force soon after high school. He completed flight training in April 1943, and spent a year in Europe as a B-25 pilot with the 340th Bombardment Group, completing 56 combat missions. In 1944, he returned to the United States for a year before being assigned to Okinawa with the 319th Bombardment Group. As part of the first group to fly combat with the A-26 aircraft, he flew seven combat missions over Japan.
Slayton logged more the 6,600 hours of flying time, including 5,100 in jet aircraft. He was named as one of the seven Mercury astronauts in April 1959 and was scheduled to pilot the Mercury- Atlas 7 mission, but a heart condition prevented him from flying. After years of work as the Coordinator of Astronaut Activities and Director of Flight Crew Operations, he was again declared fit to fly in March 1972. Three years later he participated in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project as the Apollo docking module pilot. While he did not fly again, he continued to work for NASA until 1982 in a variety of capacities. He died on June 13, 1993.
Full Description
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Date:
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1945
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NASA Center:
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Headquarters
NASA_Center
Headquarters
NASA Center
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Subject Category:
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Astronauts
Subject_Category
Astronauts
Subject Category
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Subject Category:
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Mercury-Astronauts
Subject_Category
Mercury-Astronauts
Subject Category
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Subject Category:
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Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Subject_Category
Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Subject Category
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Keywords:
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Mercury
Keywords
Mercury
Keywords
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Keywords:
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II
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Keywords:
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Slayton
Keywords
Slayton
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Donald
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Keywords:
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Astronaut
Keywords
Astronaut
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Deke
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Keywords:
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War
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Keywords:
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World
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Keywords:
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Seven
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Keywords:
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A-26
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Audience:
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General Public
Audience
General Public
Audience
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facet_what:
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Mercury
facet_what
Mercury
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Atlas
facet_what
Atlas
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Mercury
facet_where
Mercury
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Douglas
facet_where
Douglas
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Japan
facet_where
Japan
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Wisconsin
facet_where
Wisconsin
facet_where
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facet_where:
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United States of America
facet_where
United States of America
facet_where
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facet_who:
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Deke Slayton
facet_who
Deke Slayton
facet_who
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facet_when:
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1945
facet_when
1945
facet_when
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facet_when:
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1944
facet_when
1944
facet_when
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facet_when:
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1924
facet_when
1924
facet_when
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facet_when:
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April 1959
facet_when
April 1959
facet_when
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facet_when:
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April 1943
facet_when
April 1943
facet_when
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facet_when:
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March 1972
facet_when
March 1972
facet_when
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facet_when:
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June 13, 1993
facet_when
June 13, 1993
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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1959
facet_when_year
1959
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1993
facet_when_year
1993
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1972
facet_when_year
1972
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1945
facet_when_year
1945
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1944
facet_when_year
1944
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1943
facet_when_year
1943
facet_when_year
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facet_when_year:
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1924
facet_when_year
1924
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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S-75-28359
Image_#
S-75-28359
Image #
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original_url:
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original_url
original_url
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UID:
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SPD-GRIN-GPN-2004-00 028
UID
SPD-GRIN-GPN-2004-00 028
UID
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Center:
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HQ
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Center Number:
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S-75-28359
Center_Number
S-75-28359
Center Number
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GRIN DataBase Number:
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GPN-2004-00028
GRIN_DataBase_Number
GPN-2004-00028
GRIN DataBase Number
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Creator-Photographer:
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NASA
Creator-Photographer
NASA
Creator-Photographer
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Original Source:
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Digital
Original_Source
Digital
Original Source
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