EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (November 9, 2023) — Statement by Jack J. Pelton, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Experimental Aircraft Association, on the death of Apollo 8 commander and longtime EAA member Frank Borman on November 7, 2023:
“As one of the major players within the Apollo astronaut corps in the 1960s, Frank Borman was a person who seemed larger than life as we followed America’s efforts toward a lunar landing. Frank’s accomplishments, especially the unforgettable moments during the Apollo 8 mission during Christmas time in 1968, puts him among the key figures in our nation’s spaceflight history. “We at EAA came to know him for more than 30 years as an enthusiastic aviator and supporter of programs that would build on the legacy of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. We were honored in 2018 when Frank donated his personal archives to EAA, which are now on display at the EAA Aviation Museum, and always welcomed him back to Oshkosh when he could join us here. We express our condolences to Frank’s family and many friends, and say to Frank, godspeed and thank you.”
Borman made frequent visits to Oshkosh over the past 30 years, including as part of the Salute to Apollo at the 1994 EAA Fly-In Convention and the Apollo astronaut reunion during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017. In addition, he was the special guest speaker at the EAA Aviation Museum’s Space Day in 2016, and at the December 2018 Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet following the donation of his personal archives to EAA.
