April 24, 1965 - Orlando honors astronaut with John Young Day
A month after flying in the first manned Gemini mission, astronaut John W. Young was honored by his home city, Orlando, with a parade, celebration, and the first John Young Award. Young grew up in Orlando and attended Princeton Elementary School in Winter Park. In 1962, he was selected as an astronaut and flew with Gus Grissom on Gemini 3 on March 23, 1965. He flew to the moon aboard Apollo 16, April 16-27, 1972. Young flew six times, including commanding the first Space Shuttle flight on April 12-14, 1981. His last flight was the ninth shuttle mission launched on Nov. 28, 1983. The award that bears his name has become an annual honor, the John Young History Maker Celebration, bestowed by the Orange County Regional History Center. This year's recipient is The Honorable Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. Read Young's biography at NASA's web site • Visit a website dedicated to John Young: johnwyoung.org • Read about the John Young History Maker Celebration at the Orange County Regional History Center's web site