19 Facts About Edward Givens

Edward Givens had one younger brother, Donald Jarrell Givens, who died in a Consolidated P4Y-2 Privateer crash in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Edward Givens took on extra courses when he was in high school, which allowed him to finish a year early.

Edward Givens worked in a grocery store and spent time cleaning cars to earn money for flying lessons and would hitchhike to Childress Municipal Airport to take them.

Edward Givens's parents said he "never had an interest in anything but aviation".

Edward Givens earned his pilot's license in early 1946, and then performed a solo flight the day after he turned 16 in a Piper Cub.

Edward Givens was active in the Boy Scouts of America where he achieved its second highest rank, Life Scout.

Edward Givens graduated in 1952, as an outstanding student, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Sciences from the United States Naval Academy.

Edward Givens was commissioned in the Air Force as a second lieutenant upon graduating from Annapolis in 1952, and received his flight training as a student pilot at the United States Air Force Air Training Command.

Edward Givens was awarded his wings on February 4,1953, as one of the top students.

The group commander was known to be tough on his students, and Edward Givens chose this location so he could be formed into a great fighter pilot.

Edward Givens served as an instructor at the Air Force Interceptor Weapons School from January 1956 to March 1958 and then attended the USAF Experimental Flight Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California as a captain.

Edward Givens's next assignment took him to the Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California, where he was a project pilot with Air Development Squadron 4.

Edward Givens served as Assistant to the Commandant at the USAF Experimental Flight Test Pilot School from November 1961 to September 1962 and then attended the Aerospace Research Pilot School, from which he graduated in 1963.

Edward Givens logged more than 3,500 hours flight time; 2,800 hours in jet aircraft.

Edward Givens was a Project Mercury finalist in 1959, and was one of nineteen astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966 for its fifth astronaut group.

On June 6,1967, Edward Givens was driving his Volkswagen home from a meeting of the Quiet Birdmen fraternal organization, with two other officers, when he missed a sharp, unmarked turn and crashed into a ditch in Pearland, Texas, near the Manned Spacecraft Center.

At the time of his death, Edward Givens held the rank of major.

Edward Givens was buried at Quanah Memorial Park in his hometown.

Edward Givens was survived by his wife Ada and their three children.