William Anders, Apollo 8 astronaut, dies in plane crash in San Juan Islands
**SAN JUAN COUNTY, Wash.** - Retired American astronaut William Anders, a member of the Apollo 8 crew, was killed in a plane crash near the San Juan Islands on Friday afternoon.
Anders' son, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Greg Anders, confirmed the death to The Associated Press.
The plane that crashed was a vintage Air Force T-34 Mentor, owned by Anders, who was also a resident of San Juan County.
Anders was reportedly piloting the plane when it crashed. "The family is devastated," Greg Anders said. "He was a great pilot, and we will miss him terribly."
Video shows the fiery crash into WA waters near Orcas Island. Crews responded to the scene on Friday afternoon. Officials with the United States Coast Guard Pacific Northwest said the crash happened near Orcas Island before 11:45 a.m.
**Early life of William Anders**
William Anders was born on Oct. 17, 1933, in Hong Kong, and grew up in San Diego. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1955 with a bachelor of science degree and earned a master of science degree in nuclear engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1962. He also completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program in 1979.
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**Recruited by NASA**
In 1964, Anders was selected by NASA as an astronaut, with responsibilities for dosimetry, radiation effects, and environmental control. He served as a backup pilot for the Gemini XI and Apollo 11 flights and was the lunar module pilot for Apollo 8.
**Apollo 8 mission**
In 1968, Anders flew the Apollo 8 mission with Air Force veteran Frank F. Borman II and Navy veteran James A. Lovell, Jr. He logged more than 6,000 hours of flying time. During this mission, the crew orbited the moon, beamed back images of the lunar surface and Earth, and read from the Book of Genesis, sending a message of peace to "everyone on the good Earth."
According to NASA, the Apollo 8 mission is renowned for the iconic "Earthrise" image, captured by Anders, which offered humanity a new perspective on their home planet. Anders remarked that despite all their training and preparation for exploring the moon, the astronauts ended up discovering Earth.
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**William Anders' retirement**
In 1988, Anders retired from the Air Force Reserves and became the chairman and CEO of General Dynamics Corporation in 1991. After two years, he retired from General Dynamics but remained as chairman until 1994.
In 1993, Anders and his wife Valerie moved to Orcas Island. They have six children and 13 grandchildren.
Shortly after retiring, the couple established the Anders Foundation to support educational and environmental causes, including the Yosemite National Institute and the Olympic Park Institute.
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In 1996, they founded the Heritage Flight Museum centered around the P-51 Val-Halla. The museum has since grown and is now located at Skagit Regional Airport in Burlington. As the museum expanded, their two sons developed a passion for aviation and joined them in the Puget Sound area to help run the museum.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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