John B. Herrington
| John Bennett Herrington | |
|---|---|
Herrington in November 2009
|
|
| NASA Astronaut | |
| Nationality | American |
| Status | Retired |
| Born |
September 14, 1958 Wetumka, Oklahoma, United States |
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Other occupation
|
U.S. naval pilot, test pilot |
| Rank | Commander, USN |
|
Time in space
|
13d 18h 47m |
| Selection | 1996 NASA Group |
| Missions | STS-113 |
|
Mission insignia
|
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John Bennett Herrington (born September 14, 1958 in Chickasaw Nation) is a retired United States Naval Aviator and former NASA astronaut. In 2002, Herrington became the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space.
Herrington was born in Wetumka, Oklahoma into the Chickasaw Nation. He grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Riverton, Wyoming, and Plano, Texas, where he graduated from Plano Senior High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs before receiving his commission in the United States Navy in 1984.
To honor his Chickasaw heritage, Herrington, an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, carried its flag on his thirteen-day trip to space. The flag had been presented to him by Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby.
Herrington received his commission in the U.S. Navy from the Aviation Officer Candidate School at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida in March 1984. In March 1985 he was designated a Naval Aviator and proceeded to Patrol Squadron Thirty-One (VP-31) at Moffett Field, California for training in the P-3C Orion. His first operational assignment was with Patrol Squadron Forty-Eight (VP-48) where he made three operational deployments, two to the Northern Pacific-based from Naval Air Facility Adak, Alaska and one to the Western Pacific-based from the Naval Air Station Cubi Point, Philippines. While assigned to VP-48, Herrington was designated a Patrol Plane Commander, Mission Commander, and Patrol Plane Instructor Pilot.
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