Donn Eisele

Donn Eisele, an astronaut from Columbus, Ohio, was a pivotal figure in the Apollo program, with a life marked by triumph, dedication, and a twist of fate that likely saved his life. Born with an innate passion for aeronautics, Eisele pursued his dreams relentlessly, earning a bachelor’s degree from the United States Naval Academy and a Master of Science in astronautics from the Air Force Institute of Technology. As an experimental test pilot at the Air Force Special Weapons Center in New Mexico, he honed his skills, logging over 4,200 hours of flying time. Eisele’s meticulous and introspective nature as a navigator made him an ideal candidate for NASA’s third group of astronauts for the Apollo program. Initially selected for the ill-fated Apollo 1 mission alongside Virgil “Gus” Grissom and Ed White, a dislocated shoulder and subsequent surgery removed him from the flight, which tragically ended in a fire that claimed the lives of its crew. This twist of fate deeply affected Eisele, as he later reflected on the harrowing experience of listening to the voice tapes of his friends’ final moments. Despite the tragedy, Eisele continued to contribute to the space program. He was a key member of the Apollo 7 mission, where he served as the command module pilot.