White, Robert Michael, 1924-2010

Robert Michael "Bob" White (July 6, 1924 – March 17, 2010) (Maj Gen, USAF) was an American electrical engineer, test pilot, fighter pilot, and astronaut. He was one of twelve pilots who flew the North American X-15, an experimental spaceplane jointly operated by the Air Force and NASA. As an engineer, he supervised the design and development of several modern military aircraft.

White was born in New York City on July 6, 1924. After graduating from high school, he entered active military service in November 1942 as an aviation cadet in the United States Army Air Forces, and received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant in February 1944. During World War II, he served with the 355th Fighter Group in the European Theater of Operations. He flew P-51 Mustangs from July 1944 until February 1945, when he was shot down over Germany on his 52nd combat mission. He was captured and remained a prisoner of war until his release in April 1945.

White returned to the United States in 1945, left active duty that December, and became a member of the Air Force Reserve at Mitchel Air Force Base, New York, while studying Electrical Engineering at New York University. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from there in 1951, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the George Washington University in 1966.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, White's military service was honed into serving as a test pilot. On July 17, 1962, he flew the X-15 to an altitude above 50 miles, thereby qualifying as an astronaut according to the United States definition of the boundary of space.

For the third time in White’s career, war intervened. In May, 1967, he went to Southeast Asia as Deputy Commander for Operations of the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, stationed in Thailand. He flew 70 combat missions over North Vietnam flying the F-105 Thunderchief. White was then transferred to Seventh Air Force Headquarters at Tan Son Nhut Airfield, Republic of Vietnam, where he served as Chief of the Attack Division in the Directorate of Combat Operations.

In June 1968, White was back into the world of research and development, at the Air Force Systems Command at Wright-Patterson. Now a colonel, he was named Director of the Aeronautical Systems Division’s F-15 Systems Program Office. For the remainder of his military career, White served in a number of different roles, last being as Chief of Staff of the Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force. He retired from active duty as a Major General in February 1981.