Lachlan Macleay
Encyclopedia
Lachlan "Mac" Macleay is a retired colonel
in the United States Air Force
and a former USAF astronaut
. Although he trained for the USAF Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL), the program was cancelled before any of the MOL crews reached space.
Macleay was born in Saint Louis, Missouri and graduated in 1954 from the United States Naval Academy
with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering
. Although a USNA graduate, he chose to begin his career in the United States Air Force. In 1970, he earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Southern California
.
Macleay was a flight instructor in the F-86D
at Moody Air Force Base
in Georgia. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
in class 60A, Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) Class IV, and MOL. In 1965, Macleay was selected as one of the first astronauts to the Air Force's classified Manned Orbital Laboratory. The MOL program, canceled in 1969 before sending any astronauts into space, was to man a military space station with Air Force astronauts using a modified Gemini spacecraft
.
Macleay continued flying for the Air Force and served a combat tour as commander of the 23d Tactical Air Support Squadron (TASS) at Nakhon Phanom
, Thailand
. The 23d TASS, flying the OV-10 Bronco
under the callsign Nail, served as forward air control
lers directing air strikes against enemy troops.
Macleay retired from the Air Force on May 1, 1978 and joined Hughes Aircraft
in Tucson, Arizona
where he worked on a series of missile systems. He currently lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado
.
The history of the MOL program was presented in the Public Television series NOVA episode called Astrospies which aired February 12, 2008. Several of the MOL astronauts, including Lachlan Macleay, were interviewed for this documentary.
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and a former USAF 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....
. Although he trained for the USAF Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL), the program was cancelled before any of the MOL crews reached space.
Macleay was born in Saint Louis, Missouri and graduated in 1954 from the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
. Although a USNA graduate, he chose to begin his career in the United States Air Force. In 1970, he earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
Macleay was a flight instructor in the F-86D
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
at Moody Air Force Base
Moody Air Force Base
Moody Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Lowndes County and Lanier County, about northeast of Valdosta, Georgia, United States.Moody Air Force Base is home to the 23d Wing...
in Georgia. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School is the Air Force's very advanced flight training school that trains experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test navigators to carry out tests and evaluations of new aerospace weapon systems and also other aircraft of the U.S. Air Force...
in class 60A, Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) Class IV, and MOL. In 1965, Macleay was selected as one of the first astronauts to the Air Force's classified Manned Orbital Laboratory. The MOL program, canceled in 1969 before sending any astronauts into space, was to man a military space station with Air Force astronauts using a modified Gemini spacecraft
Project Gemini
Project Gemini was the second human spaceflight program of NASA, the civilian space agency of the United States government. Project Gemini was conducted between projects Mercury and Apollo, with ten manned flights occurring in 1965 and 1966....
.
Macleay continued flying for the Air Force and served a combat tour as commander of the 23d Tactical Air Support Squadron (TASS) at Nakhon Phanom
Nakhon Phanom
Nakhon Phanom is a town in northeastern Thailand, capital of the Nakhon Phanom Province. The town covers the whole tambon Nai Mueang and Nong Saeng and parts of tambon At Samat and Nong Yat, all of Mueang Nakhon Phanom district...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. The 23d TASS, flying the OV-10 Bronco
OV-10 Bronco
The North American Aviation Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is a turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency combat, and one of its primary missions was as a forward air control aircraft...
under the callsign Nail, served as forward air control
Forward air control
Forward air control is the provision of guidance to Close Air Support aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller . For NATO forces the qualifications and experience required to be...
lers directing air strikes against enemy troops.
Macleay retired from the Air Force on May 1, 1978 and joined Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
where he worked on a series of missile systems. He currently lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
.
The history of the MOL program was presented in the Public Television series NOVA episode called Astrospies which aired February 12, 2008. Several of the MOL astronauts, including Lachlan Macleay, were interviewed for this documentary.