Jack Swigert | |
|---|---|
 Swigert in 1971 | |
| Member-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives fromColorado's6th district | |
| Died before taking office | |
| Preceded by | District established |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Schaefer (as member) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Leonard Swigert Jr. (1931-08-30)August 30, 1931 |
| Died | December 27, 1982(1982-12-27) (aged 51) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Mount Olivet Cemetery |
| Party | Republican |
| Education | |
| Awards | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Service years | 1953–1956 (active) 1956–1965 (reserve) |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit |
|
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
Time in space | 5 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes |
| Selection | NASA Group 5 (1966) |
| Missions | Apollo 13 |
Mission insignia |  |
| Retirement | August 1977 |
John Leonard Swigert Jr. (August 30, 1931 – December 27, 1982) was an AmericanNASAastronaut,test pilot,mechanical engineer,aerospace engineer,United States Air Forcepilot, andpolitician. In April 1970, as command module pilot ofApollo 13, he became one of24 astronauts who flew to the Moon.[1][2] Due to the "slingshot" route around the Moon they chose to safely return to Earth, the Apollo 13 astronauts flew farther away from Earth than any other astronauts before or since, though they had to abort the Moon landing.
Before joining NASA in 1966, Swigert was a civiliantest pilot andfighter pilot in theAir National Guard. After leaving NASA, he ran to represent Colorado in theU.S. Senate but lost in a primary election againstBill Armstrong. He subsequently was elected to representColorado's 6th congressional district in theU.S. House of Representatives in 1982, but died of cancer before being sworn into office.
John Leonard Swigert Jr. was born on August 30, 1931, inDenver,Colorado to parents Dr. John Leonard Swigert Sr. (1903–1973) and Virginia Anne Swigert (née Seep; 1906–1993). Swigert's father was anophthalmologist.[1][2] At the age of 14, he became fascinated by aviation. While he would have been content just watching planes take off from nearby Combs Field, young Jack became determined to do more than be a spectator. He took on a newspaper route to earn money for flying lessons, and by age 16 he was alicensed private pilot.[3] He was a member of theBoy Scouts of America and attained the rank ofSecond Class Scout.[4][5] He attended Blessed Sacrament School,Regis Jesuit High School andEast High School, from which he graduated in 1949.[6]
Swigert received aBachelor of Science degree inmechanical engineering fromUniversity of Colorado in 1953, where he also playedfootball for theBuffaloes.[1][2] He later earned aMaster of Science degree inaerospace engineering fromRensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Hartford campus) in 1965,[7] and aMaster of Business Administration degree fromUniversity of Hartford in 1967.[8]
His recreational interests includedgolf,handball,bowling,skiing,swimming, andbasketball. His hobbies includedphotography.[6]
Following his graduation from Colorado in 1953, Swigert joined theUnited States Air Force (USAF). Upon graduation from the Pilot Training Program andGunnery School atNellis Air Force Base,Nevada, he was assigned as afighter pilot inJapan andSouth Korea. In 1953, he survived his plane crashing into a radar unit on a Korean airstrip.[3][2]
After completing his tour of active duty in the USAF, he served as a jet fighter pilot with theMassachusetts (1957–1960) andConnecticut Air National Guard (1960–1965).[9] Swigert held a position as engineering test pilot forNorth American Aviation before joining NASA. He was previously an engineering test pilot forPratt & Whitney, from February 1957 to June 1964.[10]
He logged over 7,200 hours in flight, including more than 5,725 hours injet aircraft.[6]
After unsuccessfully applying for NASA'ssecond andthird astronaut selections,[11] Swigert was accepted into theNASA Astronaut Corps as part ofNASA Astronaut Group 5 in April 1966.[12] Swigert became a specialist on theApollo command module: he was one of the few astronauts who requested to be command module pilots.[11]
Swigert was a member ofApollo 7's astronaut support crew, the first support crew for an Apollo mission; he served ascapsule communicator (CAPCOM) during the ascent phase of the flight.[13]
Swigert was one of three astronauts aboard theApollo 13 Moon mission launched April 11, 1970. Originally part of the backup crew for the mission, he was assigned to the mission three days before launch, replacing astronautKen Mattingly. The prime crew had been exposed toGerman Measles (the rubella virus) fromCharles Duke and, because Mattingly had no immunity to the disease, NASA did not want to risk him falling ill during critical phases of the flight.[14]
Apollo 13 was the third crewed lunar-landing attempt, but was aborted after the rupture of an oxygen tank in the spacecraft'sservice module. Swigert was the astronaut who first announced, "Houston, we've had a problem here".[15] The statement was then repeated by commander of the flightJim Lovell. Swigert, along with fellow astronauts Lovell andFred Haise, traveled around the Moon and returned safely to Earth on April 17 after about 5 days and 23 hours, and received thePresidential Medal of Freedom the next day.[16]
NASA Director of Flight Crew OperationsDeke Slayton, who selected the astronauts, recommended Swigert ascommand module pilot for theApollo–Soyuz Test Project, the first joint mission with theSoviet Union. Slayton felt Swigert deserved another chance to fly after having been selected for Apollo 13 two days before launch, and performing well.[17]
During 1972, theApollo 15 postal covers incident caused NASA investigators to inquire into other astronauts.[3] A number of Apollo astronauts, including Swigert, had made agreements with West German stamp dealer Hermann Sieger, who originated the idea for theApollo 15 covers, to autograph philatelic items in exchange for a payment of about $2,500. Swigert originally denied involvement when interviewed by NASA investigators.[18] According toChristopher C. Kraft, the investigators subpoenaed his bank records, finding more funds than expected, and records of a predated charitable donation.[19] Swigert's subsequent admission caused NASA Deputy AdministratorGeorge M. Low to remove him from Apollo–Soyuz.[3]
Aware that his spaceflight career was most likely over,[3] Swigert took a leave of absence from NASA in April 1973 and went toWashington, D.C. to become executive director of theCommittee on Science and Astronautics,U.S. House of Representatives.[20]
Swigert eventually left NASA and the committee in August 1977 to enter politics.[21] He ran for theU.S. Senate from Colorado in 1978, but was soundly defeated in the Republican primary in September byCongressmanBill Armstrong, who was far better known.[22] In 1979, Swigert became vice president of B.D.M. Corporation inGolden.[13] He left in 1981 to join International Gold and Minerals Limited as vice president for financial and corporate affairs.[23]
In February 1982, Swigert left International Gold and Minerals Limited to run forU.S. Congress in the newly created6th district as a Republican. When amalignant tumor in his right nasal passage was found, the astronaut-politician disclosed this to the voters. Doctors told him he would finish radiation treatments on June 15 and make a complete recovery.[24] However, in August, Swigert developed back pain and was diagnosed withbone marrow cancer.[25] On November 2, 1982, he won the seat with 64% of the popular vote.[26]
On December 19, 1982, seven weeks after his election, he was airlifted from his home inLittleton toGeorgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He died ofrespiratory failure at itsLombardi Cancer Center on December 27, seven days before the beginning of his congressional term, aged 51.[27][28][29] He was the last member-elect of the House to die before taking office untilLuke Letlow's death fromCOVID-19 in December 2020.
Fifteen astronauts, including fellow Apollo 13 crewmatesJim Lovell andFred Haise, were among the thousand mourners at hisfull military honors funeral in Denver, presided over byArchbishopJames Casey, which included amissing man flyover byA-7 Corsairs of theColorado Air National Guard.[30] He is buried alongside his parents inMount Olivet Cemetery inWheat Ridge.[31]
Swigert received theAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)Octave Chanute Award for 1966 for his participation in demonstrating theRogallo wing as a feasible land landing system for returning space vehicles and astronauts.[32]
President Richard Nixon awarded thePresidential Medal of Freedom to the Apollo 13 crew shortly after the conclusion of their mission.[33] Following a sparse parade, Swigert received the City of New York Gold Medal on June 3.[34] He received the City ofHouston Medal for Valor, 1970.[35] Swigert received theAmerican Astronautical Society Flight Achievement Award for 1970.[36] He was given University of Colorado-Boulder's Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award in 1970.[6] Vice PresidentSpiro Agnew presented the crews of Apollo 11, 12, and 13 with theNASA Distinguished Service Medal in 1970.[37] The Apollo 13 crew also received the AIAA Haley Astronautics Award in 1971, which included a small monetary award and a medal.[38][39]
Swigert was awarded the 1972 Antonian Gold Medal.[6]
He was presented anHonorary Doctorate of Science degree fromAmerican International College in 1970,[40] anHonorary Doctorate of Laws degree fromWestern State University in 1970,[6] and anHonorary Doctorate of Science fromWestern Michigan University in 1970.[41]
In 1983, Swigert was among 14 Apollo astronauts inducted into theInternational Space Hall of Fame.[20][42]
In 1988, Swigert was inducted into theColorado Aviation Hall of Fame.[43][44]
In 1995, Swigert was portrayed byKevin Bacon inRon Howard's filmApollo 13.[45]
In 1997, Swigert, along with 23 other Apollo astronauts, was posthumously inducted into theU.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame which is located at the Kennedy Space Center.[46][47]
He was elected in September 2003 to theRensselaer Polytechnic Institute Alumni Hall of Fame.[48][49]
In 1997, astatue of Swigert made byGeorge and Mark Lundeen was placed on display in theU.S. Capitol Building as one of two statues given by the state of Colorado to theNational Statuary Hall Collection.[50][51] As of December 2008 the statue is on display in Emancipation Hall in theUnited States Capitol Visitor Center. A duplicate statue is currently on display atDenver International Airport Terminal B, where passengers exit the airport's train system.[52]
The Space Foundation was founded in 1983 in part to honor the memory and accomplishments of Swigert.[53][54] In 2004, the Space Foundation launched theJohn L. "Jack" Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration, which is presented annually to an individual, group, or organization that has made a significant contribution to space exploration. On August 18, 2009, theSpace Foundation and Colorado Springs District 11 partnered to open the Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy.[55][56]
Swigert was a member of numerous organizations. He was afellow of theAmerican Astronautical Society; associate fellow of theSociety of Experimental Test Pilots and theAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; and member of theQuiet Birdmen,Phi Gamma Delta,Pi Tau Sigma, andSigma Tau.[6]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| New constituency | Member-elect of theU.S. House of Representatives fromColorado's 6th congressional district 1982 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
