Wally Schirra was a pioneering American naval aviator, test pilot, and one of the original seven astronauts selected for NASA's Project Mercury. He holds the distinction of being the only person to have flown in all three of the United States' first human spaceflight programs: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. As commander of Apollo 7, he led the first crewed flight of the Apollo spacecraft, a critical mission that paved the way for future lunar landings. After retiring from NASA and the Navy, Schirra pursued a career in business and broadcasting, remaining a respected voice in aerospace.