Stephen Douglas Thorne, a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy, was born on February 11, 1953 in Frankfurt-am-Main, West Germany. He accumulated over 2,500 hours and 200 carrier landings in approximately 30 different types of aircraft. He was a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and life member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association. His interests included baseball, running, reading, and general aviation.
Thorne died on May 24, 1986 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was the passenger in a stunt plane crash. The pilot was James Ryan Simmons, who was also killed in the crash. He was a NASA Flight Control Engineer. (Aerotec Pitts S-2A N80004)
Space Flights: None
Total Hours in Space: 0
Astronaut Group: 11-May 23, 1985
Degrees: BS, Systems Engineering, US Naval Academy, 1975
Military Service & Awards: Awarded the Navy Commendation Medal in January 1986.
Interred at Arlington National Cemetery: May 30, 1986
Section: 7A
Grave: 135
Grid: TU-23/24
How to locate: From the visitor’s center follow the signs to the Tomb of the Unknowns. Section 7A is a small area to the left of the sidewalk very close to the Tomb of the Unknowns. When facing the section when standing at Roosevelt Drive, the gravesite is in the eighth row back.
