Alan B. Shepard was born November 18, 1923 in East Derry, New Hampshire. Shepard was named after his father. The "B" in Alan B. Shepard stands for Barlett. Alan B. Shepard had a wife named Louise and three daughters named Julie, Laura and Alice. Alan B. Shepard also had six grandchildren.

Shepard graduated from high school from the Admiral Farragut Academy in New Jersey.
Shepard earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the United States Naval Academy in 1944.

Alan B. Shepard was also awarded two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, a NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross. Also graduated 462nd in a class of 913.

Shepard made his second space flight as spacecraft commander on Apollo 14, January 31 - February 9, 1971. He was accompanied on man's third lunar landing mission by Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot, and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot. Shepard and Mitchell  deployed and activated various scientific equipment and experiments and collected almost 100 pounds of lunar samples for return to earth. Apollo 14 also gathered the largest payload placed in lunar orbit; traveled the longest distance  on the lunar surface; had the largest payload returned from the lunar surface; longest lunar surface stay time (33 hours);  and the first use of colored TV with new vidicon tube on lunar surface.

Alan B. Shepard began his career after he graduated from Annapolis during World War II. Alan B. Shepard was on 28 different missions with Stuart A. Roosa, Edgar D. Mitchell, L. Gordon Cooper jr., John H. Glenn. Alan B. Shepard died at the age of 74 in East Derry, New Hampshire from Leukimea. He is survived by his daughters Julie, Laura, and Alice Shepard and wife Louise. Shepard was the 5th person to walk on the moon and first American in space.
 
 

Credits:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/shepard-alan.html

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/she0int-1

http://www.thespaceplace.com/history/mercury/mercury03.html

http://www.astronautix.com/astros/shepard.htm

Pictures: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/shepard-alan.html

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/she0int-1