When we think of famous or notable people from New Hampshire, Adam Sandler is the first to come to mind. And don’t get me wrong, I love me some San Man, but when it comes to our nation’s history, there are a lot of Granite Staters that also deserve recognition for the important stuff they did; Like Alan Sheppard from Derry, New Hampshire.

According to NASA, Alan Shepard was been given the award for being the first American to journey into space.

Alan attended Adams middle school in Derry where he was a bright bulb from the start! His teachers were extremely impressed by him, so much so that he was able to skip the sixth grade. (I never liked the the sixth grade anyway) Then he attended Oak Street School in Derry for Middle school where he skipped the eight grade! He graduated from Pinkerton Academy in 1940 and later learned how to fly at Manchester airport.

Alan’s dad really wanted him to go to the army but Alan had other plans. Instead, he attended the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. There he became a competitive sailor, winning several races,

Alan furthered his naval involvement and became a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, a Naval fighter pilot and test pilot, and went on to become America’s first astronaut in space. He later became commander of Apollo 14, and was one of the only 12 human beings to have ever walked on the Moon.

Golfing on the moon

According to USGA.com, Alan Shepard was also the first person to hit a golf ball on the moon. He took a few swings with one arm at two golf balls. The first ball traveled 24 yards and the second 40 yards. Shepard said the golf ball traveled “miles and miles and miles” which was a bit of an exaggeration. But aren’t men always exaggerating about how great their golf game was and how big of a fish they caught?
The impromptu game of golf was a lot of fun and was broadcast live on television.

What an impressive life, right? There is actually a museum to honor Alan and all of his contributions to space exploration in Derry, New Hampshire.