alan_shepard | was a crew member of | apollo_14 <tsp> distinguished_service_medal_(united_states_navy) | higher | department_of_commerce_gold_medal <tsp> alan_shepard | deathplace | california <tsp> alan_shepard | birthplace | new_hampshire <tsp> alan_shepard | dateofretirement | 1974-08-01 <tsp> alan_shepard | birthdate | 1923-11-18 <tsp> alan_shepard | awards | distinguished_service_medal_(united_states_navy) <sep> alan bartlett shepard jr (november 18, 1923 – july 21, 1998) was an american astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot, and businessman in 1961, he became the second person and the first american to travel into space and, in 1971, he became the fifth and oldest person to walk on the moon at age 47 a graduate of the united states naval academy at annapolis, shepard saw action with the surface navy during world war ii he became a naval aviator in 1946, and a test pilot in 1950 
alan shepard has died in california. he was born on 18 november 1923 in new hampshire and served as crew on the apollo 14 mission. prior to his retirement on 1 august 1974 he had been awarded the distinguished service medal by the us navy. an award higher than the department of commerce gold medal.shepard was a graduate of the university of states