Swigert, John Jr

Born Aug. 30, 1931, in Denver, Colo. American astronaut and test pilot.

Swigert graduated from the University of Colorado in 1953 with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. From there he went on to receive a master’s degree in aerospace science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1965 and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Hartford in 1967. Between 1957 and 1964, Swigert worked as a test pilot. In 1966 he joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as a member of its team of astronauts. On Apr. 11–17, 1970, he made a flight to the moon with J. Lovell, Jr., and F. Haise, Jr., on the Apollo 13 spacecraft. Swigert was command module pilot. Because of a breakdown on Apollo 13, however, the lunar landing was called off, and the spacecraft, after completing its orbit of the moon, returned safely to the earth. The flight lasted 142 hr 55 min.