John Watts Young, a Captain in the United States Navy (Retired), was born on September 24, 1930 in San Francisco, California.
Young was one of NASA’s most experienced astronauts, flying the first flights of Gemini in 1965 and the space shuttle in 1981. He also walked on the moon.
Young died on January 5, 2018 of complications from pneumonia at his home in Houston, Texas.
Space Flights:
- Pilot, Gemini 3, Molly Brown, March 23, 1965. The first crewed Gemini Flight with Gus Grissom, buried nearby.
- Command Pilot, Gemini 10, July 19-20, 1966. Rendezvoused with two Agena spacecraft with Michael Collins, buried in section 51.
- Command Module Pilot, Apollo 10, Charlie Brown and Snoopy, May 18-26, 1969. Dress rehearsal for Apollo 11 lunar landing mission.
- Commander, Apollo 16, Casper and Orion, April 16-27, 1972. The fifth landing on the moon. Young and Duke spent 71 hours on the lunar surface.
- Commander, STS-1, Columbia, April 12-14, 1981, the first space shuttle flight.
- Commander, STS-9, Columbia, November 28-December 8, 1983. Also referred to as STS-41A and Spacelab 1, it was the first flight of the Spacelab laboratory module.
Total Hours in Space: 835+
Astronaut Group: 2-September 17, 1962
Degrees: BS, Aeronautical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1952.
Military Service and Awards: Served in the Korean war and later as a pilot and test pilot.
Interred at Arlington National Cemetery: April 30, 2019
Section: 3
Grave: 2507-1
Grid: Q-15
How to locate: From the Memorial Amphitheater walk South on Memorial Drive, turn right on Porter Drive, then left on McPherson Drive and left onto McKinley Drive. The roadway curves around a rectangular-shaped grassy area. Turn to the left, then right, around the grassy area. When you see a large black McGee headstone to your left just before the intersection with Miles Drive, turn right to continue on McKinley and stop after a few feet. Your back will be to the Air Force memorial in the distance. The gravesite is several rows behind Grissom and Chaffee.
