August 1, 2022
On this date in 1980, American engineer James S. McDonnell passed away from a stroke. McDonnell founded the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in 1939, which supplied fighter aircraft to the U.S. Air Force and Navy. The company was also responsible for building the Mercury and Gemini space capsules. McDonnell was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis and has several buildings in the city named in his honor including the McDonnell Planetarium.
James S. McDonnell. Image Credit: JSMF