honor of the WWII Glider Pilots, by permission of the National WW2 Glider Pilots' Association and the Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy. The following NASA astronauts have been inducted by the National WW2 Glider Pilots' Association as Honorary Members: Deke Slayton (former WW2-era USAAF B-25 and A-26 pilot, ASTP Docking Module Pilot, former Chief Astronaut) Fred W. Haise (Apollo 13 Lunar Module Pilot, Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests) Joseph H. Engle (X-15 test pilot, Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests) C. Gordon Fullerton (Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests) Richard H. Truly (Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests) John W. Young (STS-1 Commander) Robert L. Crippen (STS-1 Pilot) WW2 era Glider Pilots invited to fly the Space Shuttle Orbiter simulator at NASA's Johnson Space Center have reportedly completed every simulated landing accurately and correctly on the first attempt. The Civil Air Patrol awards a Glider Pilot Badge of its own — having a somewhat differing wing and escutcheon design while retaining the letter G — to its members who hold an FAA pilot certificate (private or higher) with a glider category rating and have passed a CAP/USAF mandated written and flight examination on gliders. Liaison Pilot Legacy Following the USAAF's separation in 1947 to become the U.S. Air Force, the Liaison Pilots embedded with the U.S. Army's Field Artillery battalions remained part of the Army, forming the nucleus of what would evolve into today's U.S. Army Aviation Branch. What was once the Liaison Pilot rating has long since evolved, further expanding into the Army Aviator qualification of today's Army. The modern Airborne Forward Air Controller (FAC) role has its roots in the role of the Liaison Pilots of the WW2 era, and continues to be employed on modern airframes in the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps alike. In addition, many foreign military air arms developed their own FAC capability in similar fashion during and after the WW2 era. See also The Hump Department of Air Training Obsolete badges of the United States military Military badges of the United States References United States military badges Military gliding