John L. Finley
Encyclopedia
John "Jack" Lawrence Finley (December 22, 1935 – September 19, 2006) was a United States Navy
aviator
and was selected as an astronaut
.
He joined the US Navy and underwent flight training at the Pensacola Naval base (Florida), which he completed in August 1958. He next served with Air Training Unit 203 at NAS Chase Field, Texas, after which he was transferred as F-8 pilot to the 51st fighter squadron (VF-51) on board the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga. After four years, he became officer in the staff of the Carrier Air Wing-5, where he was responsible for the safety of landings.
In 1964, Finley attended the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base
, California (Class 64-A). After graduation, he became an instructor at Edwards.
Finley was selected as a USAF astronaut on November 12, 1965, envisaged to fly military Gemini missions in the Manned Orbiting Laboratory
project. The project was delayed, and he retired as astronaut in April 1968.
He returned to active military duty, which included a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1968. He subsequently served with the "Sundowners" of VF-111, VX-4 "Evaluators" as project officer, and assistant Executive Officer, later Commanding Officer, of the "Screaming Eagles" of VF-51.
During 1974 and 1975, he served at the Navy Department’s Bureau of Personnel in Washington, after which he was appointed as commander of the Attack Carrier Air Wing 5 in San Francisco (1975–1976); supervisor of the Naval School (1976–1977). On April 16, 1977, he accepted command of the ship USS Kawishiwi, a position he held until is retirement in May 1980. In total, he logged over 3000 hours of flying time during his Navy career, and made more than 1000 aircraft carrier landings.
After his retirement from military duty in 1980, he spent 15 years with Federal Express Corp. in Memphis, Tennessee, achieving the level of Vice President, Aircraft Line Operations, six years as Executive Vice President at Intrepid Aviation Partners, and two years as COO/CEO Dee Howard Aircraft Maintenance.
He died on September 19, 2006 in Memphis, Tennessee after an extended battle with diabetes and cancer. He was survived by his two daughters Vickie and Cindy (from his marriage with Florence Herlihy) and his fiancee Patty Kowalczyk.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and was selected as an astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
.
He joined the US Navy and underwent flight training at the Pensacola Naval base (Florida), which he completed in August 1958. He next served with Air Training Unit 203 at NAS Chase Field, Texas, after which he was transferred as F-8 pilot to the 51st fighter squadron (VF-51) on board the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga. After four years, he became officer in the staff of the Carrier Air Wing-5, where he was responsible for the safety of landings.
In 1964, Finley attended the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
, California (Class 64-A). After graduation, he became an instructor at Edwards.
Finley was selected as a USAF astronaut on November 12, 1965, envisaged to fly military Gemini missions in the Manned Orbiting Laboratory
Manned Orbiting Laboratory
The Manned Orbiting Laboratory , originally referred to as the Manned Orbital Laboratory, was part of the United States Air Force's manned spaceflight program, a successor to the cancelled Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar military reconnaissance space plane project...
project. The project was delayed, and he retired as astronaut in April 1968.
He returned to active military duty, which included a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1968. He subsequently served with the "Sundowners" of VF-111, VX-4 "Evaluators" as project officer, and assistant Executive Officer, later Commanding Officer, of the "Screaming Eagles" of VF-51.
During 1974 and 1975, he served at the Navy Department’s Bureau of Personnel in Washington, after which he was appointed as commander of the Attack Carrier Air Wing 5 in San Francisco (1975–1976); supervisor of the Naval School (1976–1977). On April 16, 1977, he accepted command of the ship USS Kawishiwi, a position he held until is retirement in May 1980. In total, he logged over 3000 hours of flying time during his Navy career, and made more than 1000 aircraft carrier landings.
After his retirement from military duty in 1980, he spent 15 years with Federal Express Corp. in Memphis, Tennessee, achieving the level of Vice President, Aircraft Line Operations, six years as Executive Vice President at Intrepid Aviation Partners, and two years as COO/CEO Dee Howard Aircraft Maintenance.
He died on September 19, 2006 in Memphis, Tennessee after an extended battle with diabetes and cancer. He was survived by his two daughters Vickie and Cindy (from his marriage with Florence Herlihy) and his fiancee Patty Kowalczyk.