OSHKOSH, Wis. — Astronaut James Lovell, known for his work with NASA’s Project Apollo, dies at the age of 97.
Lovell was best known as the Commander who safely brought Apollo 13 back to earth after a critical failure during a flight to the moon. He was also a frequent visitor to EAA during the fly-ins.
In statement from EAA, chairman and CEO Jack Pelton remembers Lovell for his close connection with EAA who “graciously retold his experiences as a naval aviator and an astronaut to our audiences on numerous occasions.” That included his part of the Salute to Apollo at the EAA 1994 Fly-in and the Apollo 13 anniversary at EAA in 2015.
(The full statement is posted below)
EAA statement on the death of Apollo astronaut James Lovell
EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (August 8, 2025) — Statement by Jack J. Pelton, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Experimental Aircraft Association, on the death of Gemini and Apollo astronaut and longtime EAA member James Lovell on August 8, 2025:
“Jim Lovell was a hero to many of us as we followed the exploits of America’s space programs in the 1960s and ‘70s, and became known to new generations through the movie Apollo 13. His calm demeanor and focus on the mission were invaluable as commander of the crippled spacecraft during that epic flight in 1970.
“We at EAA had a close connection to him for decades, as he first met EAA founder Paul Poberezny in their mutual hometown of Milwaukee. Jim was a regular visitor to Oshkosh for the EAA fly-in convention for many years and graciously retold his experiences as a Naval Aviator and an astronaut to our audiences on numerous occasions. We express our condolences to Jim’s family and many friends, and say, Godspeed and thank you.”
Lovell made frequent visits to Oshkosh over the past 30 years, including as part of the Salute to Apollo at the 1994 EAA Fly-In Convention, the Apollo 13 anniversary at Oshkosh in 2015, the Apollo astronaut reunion during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017, and as the main speaker for the Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet virtual event in 2020.
About EAA
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and embodies The Spirit of Aviation through the world’s most engaged community of aviation enthusiasts. EAA’s 300,000 members and 900 local chapters enjoy the fun and camaraderie of sharing their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or go to www.eaa.org.
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