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Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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He enrolled at Pennsylvania State University as a member of the U.S. Air Force ROTC program and graduated in 1964 with a degree in aerospace engineering.
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Guion Bluford enrolled at Pennsylvania State University as a member of the U.S. Air Force ROTC program and graduated in 1964 with a degree in aerospace engineering.
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Following his pilot training at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona, Bluford flew 144 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He won several medals for his service, including the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm.
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Guion S. Bluford was one of 35 chosen to join the new space shuttle team in January 1978. He officially became a NASA astronaut in August 1979. Bluford made history on August 30, 1983, when he became the first African American to experience space travel.
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Bluford completed three more NASA missions, compiling 688 hours in space by the time of his retirement in 1993.
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Guion S. Bluford joined NYMA Inc. as vice president/general manager of its engineering services division in 1993. He has since served in leadership roles for Federal Data Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation and Aerospace Technologies Group.
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Bluford was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1997, nd the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2010. Married to wife Linda since 1964, he has two children, Guion III and James.
