alan_shepard | almamater | nwc, ma 1957 <tsp> distinguished_service_medal_(united_states_navy) | higher | department_of_commerce_gold_medal <tsp> alan_shepard | dateofretirement | 1974-08-01 <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 graduated with an m.a. from nwc in 1957 and later received the distinguished service medal from the u.s. navy. an award that is higher than the department of commerce gold medal. retired on august 1st. 1974.shepard was a graduate of the university of states