Borman, Frank, 1928-

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Frank Borman, U.S. Astronaut who led the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission and Chief Executive Officer of Eastern Airlines from 1975-1986, was born in Gary, Indiana, March 14, 1928. Raised in Tucson, Arizona, where he learned to fly at age 15, Borman attended U.S. Military Academy, West Point and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1950, thus beginning a 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force. He received a Masters of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1957. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recruited Borman into its astronaut program, for which Borman led the Gemini 7 (1965) and the Apollo 8 (1968) missions. In 1970, Borman retired from NASA with over 6,000 hours of in-space flight time, and the US Air Force at the rank of Colonel. As the Special Representative of President Richard Nixon, Borman visited twelve countries in Europe and the Far East in 1970 to search out information concerning missing American prisoners of war in Vietnam. Borman served as the CEO of Eastern Airlines from 1976-1986.

Borman began serving as a special advisor to Eastern Airlines in 1969. In 1970, he was named Senior Vice President of Operational Affairs, eventually earning the title of Chief Executive Officer in 1975 and Chairman of the Board by 1976. Borman used Eastern's assets to invest heavily in modern jetliners. Increased debt, and the Deregulation Act of 1978--which opened the Airline Industry to pure competition-- brought many challenges to the development and financial stability of Eastern Airlines. Borman instituted innovative and risky financial tactics to ease the effects of the deregulation policies, including profit-sharing and labor wages that were dependent upon the company's success. Borman's tactics produced the company's four most profitable years, but they also resulted in dissent among Eastern's labor unions. By 1983, as a proposed solution to Eastern's debt burden, Borman asked employees to accept pay cuts in order to keep the company running. Eastern's mechanics, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), threatened to strike if Eastern's management followed through with this planned pay cut. Borman failed to reach an agreement with the labor unions and retired from Eastern Airlines in 1986, selling the company, 3.5 billion dollars in debt, to Texas Air executive and "corporate raider" Frank Lorenzo. Eastern was liquidated in 1991.

From the description of Frank Borman papers, 1961-1989 bulk 1980-1986. (Georgia State University). WorldCat record id: 191913531

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Visibility Laboratory. Films, 1965. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Commemorative Album of Photographs of the Visit of Colonel Frank Borman to Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany, in West Berlin, 2/11/1969 - 2/12/1969 National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Borman, Frank, 1928-. Letter, 1975 Oct. 31 [to] Col. Capps. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
referencedIn Records of the Army Staff. 1903 - 2009. Photographs of U.S. and Foreign Military Personnel, Defense Department and Other Government Officials, Royalty, and Heads of State. 1964-1974. National Archives at College Park
referencedIn FUTURE ASTRONAUT SELECTEES AT AEROSPACE SCHOOL National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Chairmen and Meetings of the Citizens' Advisory Committee on Environmental Quality, 1967 - 1976 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Moving Images Relating to the Manned Spacecraft Center, 1960 - ca. 1973 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn 10/1/78, Pres. Carter at Kennedy Space Center (T-16141) Jimmy Carter Library
referencedIn Photographs Relating to World War II, the Cold War, and U.S. - West German Diplomatic, Economic, and Military Contacts, ca. 1951 - 1994 National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Borman, Frank, 1928-. [Letter] 1977 November 1, Miami, Fla. [to] Evan Lerman, Brooklyn, N.Y. / Frank Borman. Texas Tech University Libraries, Academic Library
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. Apollo 8 Crew Reception in New York City National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Borman, Frank, 1928-. Frank Borman papers, 1961-1989 bulk 1980-1986. Georgia State University
referencedIn Formal and Informal Unfair Labor Practices and Representation Case Files, 1935 - 1948 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Milton Caniff Collection, 1805-2007, 1910-1988 The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
referencedIn Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 1903 - 2006. Sound Recordings Relating to the Apollo 204 Accident National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Pickering, William H., 1910-2004. William H. Pickering Office File Collection, 1955-1976. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn General Records of the Department of the Navy. 1941 - 2004. Moving Images Relating to Military Activities. 1947 - 1980. Apollo 8 Crew Reception in New York City National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Correspondence of Apollo 204 Board Member Col. Frank Borman, 5/8/1967 - 7/12/1967 National Archives at College Park
Relation Name
associatedWith Air Line Pilots Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Anders, William A., 1933- person
associatedWith Capps, Jack L., 1926- person
associatedWith Collins, Michael, 1930- person
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
employeeOf Eastern Air Lines, inc. corporateBody
memberOf Gemini VII (Spacecraft) corporateBody
associatedWith International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. corporateBody
associatedWith Lerman, Evan. person
associatedWith Lovell, James A., 1928- person
correspondedWith Milton Caniff person
associatedWith Pickering, William H., 1910-2004. person
associatedWith Project Apollo (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Visibility Laboratory. corporateBody
associatedWith Ulane, Karen, 1941-1989 person
memberOf United States. Air Force corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf United States Military Academy corporateBody
employeeOf United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Gary IN US
United States 00 US
Subject
Aircraft industry
Airlines
Labor disputes
Strikes and lockouts
Occupation
Airline executives
Astronauts
Pilots
Activity

Person

Birth 1928-03-14

English

Information

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