Jack Swigert

Jack Swigert was a multi-talented American professional. He served as a NASA astronaut, a mechanical engineer, and a politician. He was also a pilot for the United States Air Force. Swigert is most famous for his role in the Apollo 13 mission. This mission was a major part of the effort to reach the Moon. His ability to handle emergencies helped save his crew.

Swigert's interest in flight began during his childhood in Denver, Colorado. He was born on August 30, 1931. At age 14, he became fascinated by aviation. He watched planes take off from a nearby field called Combs Field. He wanted to do more than just watch. He worked a newspaper route to pay for flying lessons. By age 16, he was a licensed private pilot. He later earned degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering. He also studied business administration.

Before joining NASA, Swigert gained extensive flight experience. He joined the United States Air Force after graduating from college. He served as a fighter pilot in Japan and South Korea. During his service in 1953, he survived a plane crash on a Korean airstrip. He later worked as a jet fighter pilot in the Air National Guard. He also worked as an engineering test pilot for companies like Pratt & Whitney. In total, he logged over 7,200 hours in flight. More than 5,725 of those hours were in jet aircraft.

Swigert joined the NASA Astronaut Corps in April 1966. He was part of NASA Astronaut Group 5. He specialized in the Apollo command module. This is the part of the spacecraft that carries the crew. He was assigned to the Apollo 13 mission in April 1970. He joined the crew only three days before the launch. He replaced astronaut Ken Mattingly. Mattingly could not fly because he had no immunity to the rubella virus.

The Apollo 13 mission faced a sudden and dangerous crisis. An oxygen tank in the service module ruptured. This caused the mission to abort its landing on the Moon. Swigert was the first to report the emergency. He said, "Houston, we've had a problem here." This was later repeated by commander Jim Lovell. To return home, the crew used a "slingshot" route around the Moon. This path sent them farther from Earth than any other astronauts had traveled. They returned safely on April 17, 1970.

After his NASA career, Swigert moved into the world of politics. He worked for the Committee on Science and Astronautics in Washington, D.C. In 1982, he ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented Colorado's 6th congressional district. He won the election with 64% of the vote. However, he was struggling with a serious illness. He had been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. Swigert died on December 27, 1982. This was only seven days before his term was supposed to start.

Many honors were given to Swigert for his service. President Richard Nixon gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was also inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame. A statue of Swigert stands in the United States Capitol Building. This honors his connection to the state of Colorado. His funeral in Denver was attended by one thousand mourners. Fifteen astronauts attended the service. The ceremony included a special flyover by the Colorado Air National Guard. His life remains a significant part of space exploration history.