Scientists, Astronauts, Military People, Doctors, & other Newsmakers of the 1960's

Michael DeBakey started to develop the artificial heart

Jan 1, 1960

Robert McNamara became president of the Ford Motor Company

Nov 9, 1960

Mercury 13 astronauts start phase one of their training

Jan 5, 1961

Robert McNamara is appointed Secretary of Defense

Jan 10, 1961

Phase one of training ends for Mercury 13 astronauts

Aug 17, 1961

Robert McNamara creates the Defense Intelligence Agency

Oct 1, 1961

Neil Armstrong entered the space program (NASA)

Jan 1, 1962

Jerrie Cobb and Janey Hart from Mercury 13, meet the president Lyndon B. Johnson

Mar 22, 1962

Denton Cooley founded the Texas Heart Institue (THI)

Aug 3, 1962

Michael DeBakey was the first person to perform a heart artery bypass

May 2, 1964

Michael Debakey was appointed chairman of President's Commission on Heart Disease, Cancer & Stroke

May 15, 1964

Neil Armstrong has his first flight in space aboard the Gemini 8

Mar 16, 1966

Denton Cooley was awarded the Rene Leriche prize for his work in vascular surgery

Feb 4, 1967

Robert McNamara resigns as Secretary of Defense and announces he will become president of the World Bank

Nov 29, 1967

Denton Cooley performed his first human heart transplant

May 3, 1968

Denton Cooley became the first heart surgeon to implant an artificial heart into a person

Apr 4, 1969

Apollo 11 was launched and Neil Armstrong was the commander of the ship

Jul 16, 1969

Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon

Jul 20, 1969

With this accomplishment, the U.S. had won the space race against the Soviet Union.