Raymond Armstrong Raymond Armstrong Lieutenant General Raymond Fullarton Armstrong (14 December 1917 — early 1990s) was a South African Air Force officer, who served as Chief of Defence Staff. Armstrong attended Rondebosch Boy's High School before attending the South African Military College. He joined the Special Service Battalion in 1936 and soon thereafter joined the Permanent Force. He was trained as a pilot, serving in World War II and later in the Korean War. He was Armed Forces Attache in Washington. He served as "Chief of Air Staff" before being appointed acting "Chief of Defence Staff" from 1 March 1974 to 30
Neil Armstrong group of astronauts, whose selection was announced on October 18, 1963, to receive a prime crew assignment. See was designated to command Gemini 9. Henceforth, each Gemini mission was commanded by a member of Armstrong's group, with a member of Scott's group as the pilot. Conrad would be Armstrong's backup this time, and Richard F. Gordon Jr. his pilot. Armstrong became the first American civilian in space. (Valentina Tereshkova of the Soviet Union had become the first civilian (and first woman) nearly three years earlier aboard Vostok 6 when it launched on June 16, 1963.) Armstrong would also be the