Photo: Bill Ingalls / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Charles Bolden

チャールズ・ボールデン　/　ちゃーるず・ぼーるでん

American naval officer

August 19, 1946 (age 79)　・　Columbia, South Carolina, United States

South Carolina
naval officer
astronaut
test pilot

My Take

Charles Bolden's resume gave me goosebumps. A Marine test pilot who flew four Space Shuttle missions and later led NASA itself, he holds everything from the Distinguished Flying Cross to Russia's Order of Friendship, a fitting emblem of cooperation in orbit even between old rivals. But what moves me most is the era he rose through: a Black man breaking into the very front lines of the military and spaceflight in the wake of the civil rights movement. Medals can't fully measure that weight. He showed kids looking skyward that they, too, could go. I admire him deeply.

Overview

Charles Frank Bolden Jr. (born August 19, 1946) is a former administrator of NASA, a retired United States Marine Corps Major General, and a former astronaut who flew on four Space Shuttle missions. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy with the class of 1968. Bolden became a Marine aviator and test pilot. After his service as an astronaut, he became Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen at the Naval Academy.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

1. Profile

Name (English): Charles Bolden
Name (Japanese): チャールズ・ボールデン
Reading: ちゃーるず・ぼーるでん
Born: August 19, 1946 (age 79)
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac: Leo / Dog
Origin: Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Blood type: Private
Height: Private
Agency: Private
Occupation: naval officer / astronaut / test pilot / airman / major general

2. Background

Elementary school: Private
Junior high: Private
High school: Private
University: University of Southern California

Awards & achievements

Distinguished Flying Cross
Legionnaire of Legion of Merit
Air Medal
NASA Exceptional Service Medal
Order of Friendship
2017 National Aviation Hall of Fame
United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
1993 NASA Distinguished Service Medal

3. Relationships

Spouse: Private
Children: Private
Parents: Private
Siblings: Private

4. Personality

Motto

Private

6. Links

Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%82%BA%E3%83%BB%E3%83%9C%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%87%E3%83%B3

Naval officer — see all →　·　Astronaut — see all →　·　More people from United States →