Retired astronaut William Anders, known for capturing the iconic "Earthrise" photo during NASA's Apollo 8 mission, has tragically died in a plane crash in Washington.
Anders, a resident of San Juan County, was piloting a vintage Air Force single-engine T-34 Mentor aircraft when it crashed off the coast of Jones Island on Friday, June 7.
The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed that Bill Anders' body was recovered by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife dive team.
Anders, who was 90 years old, had graduated from the US Naval Academy and served as an Air Force pilot.
He joined NASA in 1963 and was part of the Apollo 8 mission on December 21, 1968, where he became one of the first three humans to orbit the moon.
During the mission, Anders took the famous "Earthrise" photograph and played a key role in broadcasting images of the lunar surface back to Earth while reading from the Book of Genesis on Christmas Eve.
The Apollo 8 crew, including Anders, Frank Borman, and James Lovell, were celebrated as national heroes upon their safe return to Earth.
Additionally, their mission, which preceded the historic Apollo 11 moon landing, boosted morale during a turbulent period in American history, marked by the Vietnam War and civil unrest.
