EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — Statement by Jack J. Pelton, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Experimental Aircraft Association, on the death of Gemini and Apollo astronaut and longtime EAA member James Lovell on August 7, 2025
“Jim Lovell was a hero to many of us as we followed the exploits of America’s space programs in the 1960s and ‘70s, and became known to new generations through the movie Apollo 13. His calm demeanor and focus on the mission were invaluable as commander of the crippled spacecraft during that epic flight in 1970.
“We at EAA had a close connection to him for decades, as he first met EAA founder Paul Poberezny in their mutual hometown of Milwaukee. Jim was a regular visitor to Oshkosh for the EAA fly-in convention for many years and graciously retold his experiences as a Naval Aviator and an astronaut to our audiences on numerous occasions. We express our condolences to Jim’s family and many friends, and say, Godspeed and thank you.”
Lovell 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, the Apollo 13 anniversary at Oshkosh in 2015, the Apollo astronaut reunion during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017, and as the main speaker for the Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet virtual event in 2020.
