Richard E. Lawyer
Encyclopedia
Richard Earl Lawyer was a USAF astronaut
, test pilot
, and combat veteran. Although he trained for the USAF Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL), the program was cancelled before any of the MOL crews reached space.
. He attended the University of California, Berkeley
and received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering
in 1955.
. On his first tour early in the conflict, Lawyer served as a forward air control
ler directing air strikes against enemy troops. He served his second tour later in the war as an F-4
pilot and fought in Operation Linebacker
.
Lawyer became involved in flight test in 1958 when his squadron was selected to test the F-105B
. He attended the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School
(now the USAF Test Pilot School) at Edwards AFB
and graduated with class 63A receiving the school's A.B. Honts Award as the outstanding member of his class for academic achievement and flying excellence. In 1965, Lawyer 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
. Unable to transfer to NASA
due to age restrictions, Lawyer did not achieve his goal of space flight, but continued flying for the Air Force. He retired from USAF service in 1982 as a Colonel.
In June 2005, security officers examining a long-unused room at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 5
/6 museum discovered two spacesuits. The suits were not the usual NASA white but were instead a pale blue color used by the short-lived U.S. Air Force space program. The first suit was labeled 007, and the second had both a label, 008, and a name, "Lawyer". Investigators determined the second spacesuit was one used by Dick Lawyer who had been assigned to evaluate spacesuits for the MOL program. The story of the recovered spacesuits and the history of the MOL program was presented in the Public Television series NOVA episode called Astrospies which aired February 12, 2008. One spacesuit was sent to the Smithsonian Institution
's National Air and Space Museum
and the other to Florida for exhibition at the Astronaut Hall of Fame
.
. He remained an active pilot up to the time of his death on November 12, 2005. Lawyer had just returned from a hunting trip when he died unexpectedly in his Palmdale, California
home of a suspected blood clot. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery
on January 5, 2006. Lawyer is survived by his wife, Gayle, five children, and nine grandchildren.
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....
, test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
, and combat veteran. Although he trained for the USAF Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL), the program was cancelled before any of the MOL crews reached space.
Early years
Dick Lawyer was born in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. He attended the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
in 1955.
Career
After graduating from college, Lawyer joined the U.S. Air Force and trained as a fighter pilot. He was a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Fighter Weapons School and served two combat tours during the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. On his first tour early in the conflict, Lawyer served as a 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...
ler directing air strikes against enemy troops. He served his second tour later in the war as an F-4
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
pilot and fought in Operation Linebacker
Operation Linebacker
Operation Linebacker was the title of a U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 aerial interdiction campaign conducted against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from 9 May to 23 October 1972, during the Vietnam War....
.
Lawyer became involved in flight test in 1958 when his squadron was selected to test the F-105B
F-105 Thunderchief
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...
. He attended the Air Force Aerospace Research 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...
(now the USAF Test Pilot School) at Edwards AFB
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...
and graduated with class 63A receiving the school's A.B. Honts Award as the outstanding member of his class for academic achievement and flying excellence. In 1965, Lawyer 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....
. Unable to transfer to NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
due to age restrictions, Lawyer did not achieve his goal of space flight, but continued flying for the Air Force. He retired from USAF service in 1982 as a Colonel.
Lost spacesuits recovered
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 5
Launch Complex 5 was a launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida used for various Redstone and Jupiter launches.It is most well known as the launch site for NASA's 1961 suborbital Mercury-Redstone 3 flight, which made Alan Shepard the first American in space. It was also the launch...
/6 museum discovered two spacesuits. The suits were not the usual NASA white but were instead a pale blue color used by the short-lived U.S. Air Force space program. The first suit was labeled 007, and the second had both a label, 008, and a name, "Lawyer". Investigators determined the second spacesuit was one used by Dick Lawyer who had been assigned to evaluate spacesuits for the MOL program. The story of the recovered spacesuits and the history of the MOL program was presented in the Public Television series NOVA episode called Astrospies which aired February 12, 2008. One spacesuit was sent to the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
's National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
and the other to Florida for exhibition at the Astronaut Hall of Fame
Astronaut Hall of Fame
The United States Astronaut Hall of Fame, located just south of Titusville, Florida, honors American astronauts and features the world's largest collection of their personal memorabilia, focusing on those astronauts who have been inducted into the Hall; as well as Sigma 7, the fifth manned Mercury...
.
Later years
After retiring from the Air Force, Lawyer worked as a commercial test pilot for a number of firms at the Mojave Airport & Spaceport including the National Test Pilot SchoolNational Test Pilot School
The National Test Pilot School is a civilian test pilot school located at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California. The school attracts students primarily from commercial aircraft manufacturers and military air forces...
. He remained an active pilot up to the time of his death on November 12, 2005. Lawyer had just returned from a hunting trip when he died unexpectedly in his Palmdale, California
Palmdale, California
Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...
home of a suspected blood clot. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
on January 5, 2006. Lawyer is survived by his wife, Gayle, five children, and nine grandchildren.
External links
- Arlington National Cemetery biography of Richard Lawyer. Retrieved July 27, 2008.
- Spacefacts biography of Richard Lawyer. Retrieved July 27, 2008.