James A. Abrahamson

James Alan Abrahamson
Lt. Gen. James A. Abrahamson (USAF Ret'd)
Nickname(s)	Gen Abe
Born	(1933-05-19) May 19, 1933 (age 83) Williston, North Dakota, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1955–1989
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	Strategic Defense Initiative 4950th Test Wing
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (3) Air Medal (2) Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal Air Force Commendation Medal Outstanding Unit Award Organizational Excellence Award National Defense Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal Air Force Longevity Service Award Marksmanship Ribbon Vietnam Campaign Medal Belgian Order of Leopold Dutch Order of Orange-Nassau Norwegian Order of St. Olav USAF Command Pilot Badge USAF Space and Missile Badge Missile Operations Badge
Lt. Gen. Jim Abrahamson (USAF Ret'd), NASA Advisory Council
USAF Astronaut
Selection	1967 USAF MOL Group 3
Missions	None

James Alan Abrahamson (born May 19, 1933) is a retired U.S. Air Force general who served as a designated astronaut, Associate Director of NASA and former director of President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative from 1984 until 1989. He is a successful businessman who served as chairman of the board of GeoEye, a company he helped to transform into the world's largest space imaging corporation and that merged with DigitalGlobe Inc in January 2013. Previously, he served as chairman of Oracle Corporation's board of directors from 1992 until 1995.

Abrahamson was born in Williston, North Dakota on May 19, 1933. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1955 and a Master of Science degree in the same field from the University of Oklahoma in 1961. He completed Squadron Officer School in 1958, Air Command and Staff College in 1966, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1973.

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in November 1955 and completed pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, in May 1957. His initial operational assignments included flight instruction, flight test and aircraft maintenance positions with Air Training Command.