McCool was born on September 23, 1961, inSan Diego,California.[4][5] His parents divorced when McCool was young, and in 1969, his mother married Barent McCool, a Naval aviator.[6] McCool was active in theBoy Scouts of America, where he became anEagle Scout.[7]
After graduating from TPS in June 1992, McCool worked as aTA-4J and EA-6B test pilot in Flight Systems Department of Strike Aircraft Test Directorate atNAS Patuxent River,Maryland. He was responsible for the management and conduct of a wide variety of projects, ranging from airframe fatigue life studies to numerous avionics upgrades. However, McCool's primary efforts were dedicated to flight test of theAdvanced Capability (ADVCAP) EA-6B. Following his Patuxent River tour, McCool returned to Whidbey Island, and was assigned to Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 132 (VAQ-132) aboard the carrierUSS Enterprise. He served as Administrative and Operations Officer with the squadron through their work-up cycle, receiving notice of his NASA selection while embarked onEnterprise for her final pre-deployment at sea period.[1]
McCool accumulated over 2,800 flight hours in 24 aircraft as well as more than 400 carrier arrestments, also known as "traps".[6]
Selected byNASA in April 1996, McCool reported to theJohnson Space Center the following August.[6] He completed two years of training and evaluation, and was qualified for flight assignment as a pilot. Initially assigned to the Computer Support Branch, McCool also served as technical assistant to the director of flight crew operations, and worked Shuttle cockpit upgrade issues for the Astronaut Office.[1]
McCool was pilot of Space Shuttle missionSTS-107, January 16 to February 1, 2003, logging 15 days, 22 hours and 20 minutes in space. The 16-day flight was a dedicated science and research mission. Working 24 hours a day, in two alternating shifts, the crew successfully conducted approximately 80 experiments. According to NASA, McCool said of the unique view he and his crewmates had from Columbia:[9][10]
From our orbital vantage point, we observe an earth without borders, full of peace, beauty and magnificence, and we pray that humanity as a whole can imagine a borderless world as we see it and strive to live as one in peace.
— William Cameron McCool, 29 January 2003 onboardColumbia
STS-107's mission ended abruptly on February 1, 2003, whenSpace ShuttleColumbia broke up over the southern United States during re-entry, 16 minutes before scheduled landing. All seven crew members were killed.
Guam South Elementary/Middle School, aDoDEA school inSanta Rita, Guam, was renamed CDR William C. McCool Elementary/Middle School on August 29, 2003.[19]
Willie McCool Track and Field at Coronado High School in Lubbock, Texas, was posthumously named for McCool.[20]
Willie McCool Memorial with Bronze Sculpture was dedicated on Saturday, May 7, 2005, at Huneke Park at 82nd and Quaker Avenue in Lubbock, Texas.[20]
Commander William C. McCool Academy, opened in the fall of 2020, is a STEM middle school in Lubbock Texas[21][22]
The William McCool Science Center, located on the campus of the Frank Lamping Elementary School inHenderson, Nevada, is a facility where elementary students throughout theClark County School District have an opportunity to learn about space and other fields of science.[23]
The spacefaring gameElite: Dangerous contains a starport in the Jaroua system named "McCool City".
The Willie McCool Monument was dedicated on December 2, 2007, at the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Course. The monument stands where Willie would have been 16 minutes from the finish line during his fastest race on Navy's home course.
The Willie McCool Memorial Model Air Field park located inNorth Las Vegas, Nevada was posthumously named for McCool on October 23, 2004.[25]
McCool Hall, located onTinker AFB,Oklahoma is a Navy Bachelors Enlisted Quarters named after McCool.[20]
The FAA named a Fix/Waypoint MCCUL near Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (also near Anacortes, WA) located at 48 13.11N, 123 07.03W. Navy pilots are routinely vectored to the McCool waypoint.
The McCool Breakthrough Award is named after Willie McCool and is given to an individual who has made a significant breakthrough in the spirit of ICHRIE's mission.[27]
The Commander William C. McCool Academy is Lubbock ISD’s newest magnet middle school.[28]
^Fries, Colin (March 13, 2015)."Chronology of Wakeup Calls"(PDF). NASA History Division. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on December 20, 2023. RetrievedNovember 25, 2022.
