It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Alan Shepard on July 22nd, 1998. He was 74 years old. Alan Shepard is an American hero who made history when he became the first American astronaut in space. He flew on the Freedom 7 mission on May 5th, 1961 in a short suborbital flight that completed a full orbit of the Earth. He was an accomplished Navy aviator, piloting the X-15, and he was a leader in the development of the navy's space programs. Later, he flew as commander of the Apollo 14 mission on January 31, 1971, becoming the fifth person and the only one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts to walk on the moon. He retired from NASA in 1974, and in that same year he was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. He is best remembered as a man of courage and a role model to subsequent generations of astronauts. He leaves behind a legacy of remarkable achievements that will live on. He is survived by his wife Louise, their two children, his grandchildren, and many other loving family members and friends.