william_anders | dateofretirement | 1969-09-01 <tsp> william_anders | occupation | fighter_pilot <tsp> william_anders | was a crew member of | apollo_8 <tsp> william_anders | almamater | afit, ms 1962 <tsp> apollo_8 | backup pilot | buzz_aldrin <tsp> apollo_8 | crewmembers | frank_borman <tsp> apollo_8 | operator | nasa <sep> william alison anders (born 17 october 1933) is a retired united states air force (usaf) major general, former electrical engineer, nuclear engineer, nasa astronaut, and businessman in december 1968, he was a member of the crew of apollo 8, the first three people to leave low earth orbit and travel to the moon along with fellow astronauts frank borman and jim lovell, anders circled the moon ten times, and broadcast live images and commentary back to earth during one of the mission's lunar orbits, he took the iconic earthrise photograph a graduate of the united states naval academy in annapolis, maryland, anders was commissioned a second lieutenant in the united states air force (usaf) in 1955, and became a fighter pilot flying northrop f-89 scorpions equipped with mb-1 nuclear-tipped air-to-air missiles 
william anders received a m.s. from his alma mater. afit in 1962 after being a fighter pilot on apollo 8. buzz aldrin was a backup pilot on the mission with frank borman as a crewman. william retired on sept 1st 1969.he was a fighter pilot flying northrop f-89 scorpions with mb-1 nuclear-tipped missiles