William Anders

William Alison Anders (October 17, 1933 – June 7, 2024) was a United States Air Force officer, NASA astronaut, businessman, and engineer. He was a member of the Apollo 8 space mission. Anders, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell were the first astronauts to leave the orbit of the Earth and go to the Moon.

Bill Anders
Anders in 1964
Born	William Alison Anders (1933-10-17)October 17, 1933 British Hong Kong
Died	June 7, 2024(2024-06-07) (aged 90) San Juan County, Washington, U.S.
Alma mater	United States Naval Academy (BS) Air University (MS)
Awards	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal NASA Distinguished Service Medal
Space career
NASA astronaut
Rank	Major General, USAFR
Time in space	6d 3h
Selection	NASA Group 3 (1963)
Missions	Apollo 8
Mission insignia
Retirement	September 1, 1969
United States Ambassador to Norway
In office May 11, 1976 – June 18, 1977
President	Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	Thomas Byrne
Succeeded by	Louis A. Lerner

The crew took the first pictures taken of the earth from the Moon.^[1][2]

The Anders crater on the Moon was named in his honor.

He was married to Valerie E. Hoard. He had six children, Alan, Glen, Gregory, Eric, Gayle and Daina.^[3]

He was a fighter pilot and an air defence commander. He received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering. He graduated from Naval Academy. In 1964, NASA selected him as an astronaut with important responsibilities.^[3]

Anders was the U.S. Ambassador of Norway from 1976 until 1977.

Anders died on June 7, 2024, at the age of 90, when his plane crashed into Puget Sound between Jones Island and Orcas Island.^[4][5][6][7]