Donn F. Eisele served as the command module pilot for Apollo 7, the first crewed flight test of the third-generation United States spacecraft. Launched in October 1968, the eleven-day mission successfully validated systems for the lunar program, completing eight firing maneuvers and broadcasting the first live television coverage from an American crewed space vehicle.
Military and Academic Background
Born in 1930 in Columbus, Ohio, Eisele graduated from West High School before entering the United States Naval Academy, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in 1952. Choosing an Air Force commission, he completed flight training and served as an interceptor pilot in South Dakota and Libya. He later obtained a Master of Science in Astronautics from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Experimental Flight Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in 1962.
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Selected as an astronaut in October 1963, Eisele initially trained for the Apollo 1 mission but was sidelined by a shoulder injury. Following the fire that claimed the lives of the Apollo 1 crew, he joined Walter Schirra and Walter Cunningham for the Apollo 7 mission. During the flight, he performed navigational star sightings and managed the guidance platform. He later served as backup command module pilot for Apollo 10 and worked at the NASA Langley Research Center before retiring from government service in 1972.
Post-NASA Life and Public Service
Upon leaving NASA, Eisele moved to Thailand to serve as a Peace Corps country director. He returned to the United States two years later, entering the private sector with roles at Marion Power Shovel and the investment firm Oppenheimer & Company. In 1981, he was appointed to the Wilton Manors City Commission in Florida, where he served for approximately one year. He also participated in the 1986 Concorde Comet Chase flights.
Death and Recognition
In 1987, Eisele died of a heart attack in Tokyo while traveling to support a new space education program. He was cremated in Japan, and his ashes were interred at Arlington National Cemetery. Throughout his career, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and was later inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame and the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame. In 2008, he was posthumously awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.
Fast facts
- Born: 1930, Columbus, Ohio
- Died: 1987, Tokyo, Japan
- Military Rank: Colonel
- Education: United States Naval Academy (1952)
- NASA Mission: Apollo 7 (1968)
- Peace Corps Role: Country Director, Thailand
- Burial Site: Arlington National Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Donn F. Eisele's primary role during the Apollo 7 mission?
He served as the command module pilot, responsible for navigation and aligning the spacecraft's guidance platform.
Where is Eisele buried?
Following his death in Japan, his ashes were interred at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
Achievements
- United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
- International Space Hall of Fame — 1983
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, United States Naval Academy and West High School
- Worked as military officer, test pilot and astronaut
