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PERSONAL
DATA: Born August 14, 1943, in
Charleston, West Virginia, but considers Beckley, West Virginia,
to be his hometown. Four children (one deceased). Married to the
former Sharon Lynne White of
Nacogdoches,
Texas. Recreational interests
include flying, basketball, golf, softball, racquetball, gourmet
cooking, numismatics, gardening, carpentry.
EDUCATION:
Graduated from Woodrow
High School, Beckley, West Virginia in 1960; attended West Virginia University
1960-1964; received a bachelor of science degree in Aeronautical
Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1971.
Graduate work in Human Resource Management at
Pepperdine
University.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the
Association of Naval Aviation; Veterans of Foreign Wars; the
American Legion; and the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.
Life member of Phi Delta Theta; the National Honor Society; the
Golden Key National Honor Society. Member of the West Virginia
University Engineering Visiting Committee (Chairman 1990-92) and
member of the University System of West Virginia Board of
Trustees (1992-1995); Co-Chairman (with wife), American Cancer
Society fund-raising (State of West Virginia) 1990; Executive
Committee, Boy Scouts of America; Spokesperson for March of
Dimes; American Red Cross Disaster Relief; and Shawnee Hills
Mental Health Group. Member of the Executive Committee,
Association of Space Explorers (Co-President 1995-1996).
President, Association of Space Explorers (USA)
(1997-1998).
SPECIAL
HONORS: Awarded the Legion of Merit
(LOM); the Defense Superior
Service Medal (DSSM); 3 Air Medals; the Navy Commendation Medal
with Combat V; a Navy Unit Commendation; the National Defense
Medal; the Vietnamese Service Medal; and the NASA Space Flight
Medal. Recipient of West Virginia Secretary of State's "State
Medallion" and appointed "West Virginia Ambassador of Good Will
Among All Men" (1980). Received Honorary Doctorate in Aerospace
Engineering from Salem College (1984); Honorary Doctorate of
Science from West Virginia University (1985); Honorary Doctorate
of Science from University of Charleston (1987); Honorary
Doctorate of Science from West Virginia Institute of Technology
(1987); West Virginia Society's "Son-of-the-Year" (1988), City
of Beckley; West Virginia "Hall of Fame"; Distinguished Alumni;
West Virginia University (1988); West Virginia's "Honorary
Italian-American" (1988); Kanawha County West Virginia's "Famous
Person Award" (1988); West Virginia Broadcasters'
"Man-of-the-Year" (1989); City of Hope's "Spirit of Life Award
Winner" (1991); DAR "Medal of Honor" (1993).
EXPERIENCE:
McBride's naval service began in 1965 with flight training at Pensacola, Florida.
After winning his wings as a naval aviator, he was assigned to
Fighter Squadron 101 based at Naval Air Station Oceana,
Virginia, for training in the F-4 "Phantom II" aircraft. He was
subsequently assigned to Fighter Squadron 41 where he served 3
years as a fighter pilot and division officer. He has also
served tours with Fighter Squadrons 11 and 103. While deployed
to Southeast Asia, McBride flew 64 combat missions.
He attended the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air
Force Base prior to reporting to Air Test and Development
Squadron Four at Point Mugu,
California, where he served as
maintenance officer and Sidewinder project officer. He has flown
over 40 different types of military and civilian aircraft and
piloted the Navy "Spirit of '76" bicentennial-painted F-4J
"Phantom in various air shows during 1976, 1977, and 1978. He
holds current FAA ratings which include commercial pilot
(multi-engine), instrument, and glider; and he previously served
as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI).
He has logged more than 8,800 hours flying time--including 4,700
hours in jet aircraft. 1979.
NASA
EXPERIENCE: Selected as an astronaut
candidate by NASA in January 1978, McBride became an astronaut
in August 1979. His NASA assignments have included lead chase
pilot for the maiden voyage of
Columbia; software verification in
the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL); capsule
communicator (CAPCOM) for STS-5, STS-6, and STS-7; Flight Data
File (FDF) Manager, and orbital rendezvous procedures
development.
McBride was pilot of STS 41-G, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida,
on October 5, 1984, aboard the Orbiter Challenger. This
was the first crew of seven. During their eight day mission,
crew members deployed the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite,
conducted scientific observations of the earth with the OSTA-3
pallet and Large Format Camera, and demonstrated potential
satellite refueling with an EVA and associated hydrazine
transfer. Mission duration was 197 hours and concluded with a
landing at Kennedy
Space Center, Florida,
on October 13, 1984.
McBride was scheduled to fly next in March 1986, as the
commander of STS 61-E crew. This flight was one of several
deferred by NASA in the wake of the Challenger accident
in January 1986.
On July 30, 1987, McBride was assigned to NASA Headquarters to
serve as Assistant Administrator for Congressional Relations,
with responsibility for NASA's relationship with Congress, and
for providing coordination and direction to all Headquarters and
Field
Center communications with
Congressional support organizations. He held this post from
September 1987 through March 1989. In 1988 McBride was named to
command the crew of the STS-35 (ASTRO-1) mission, scheduled for
launch in March 1990.
In May 1989, Captain McBride retired from NASA and the Navy, in
order to pursue a business career.
He is currently a member
of the Kennedy Space Center Astronaut Encounter team, and does
lecturing and corporate motivational presentations:
jonmcbride@cfl.rr.com
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