Ed White

Edward H. White II was a U.S. Air Force officer and test pilot selected in NASA's second group of astronauts. During Gemini 4 in June 1965, he became the first American to perform a spacewalk, spending roughly 23 minutes outside the spacecraft using a hand-held maneuvering gun, an experience he later called the highlight of his career. White was selected as Senior Pilot for Apollo 1, but he and crewmates Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee were killed in a cabin fire during a launch pad test on January 27, 1967.