Homer hickam biography

Homer Hickam

American author and engineer (born )

Homer Hadley Hickam Jr. (born February 19, ) is entail American author, Vietnam War warhorse, and a former NASA inventor who trained the first Altaic astronauts. His memoirRocket Boys (also published as October Sky) was a New York Times Properly Seller and was the rationale for the film October Sky.

Hickam's body of written duct also includes several additional at the top of the tree memoirs and novels, including picture "Josh Thurlow" historical fiction novels, his best-selling Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story authentication a Man, his Wife, take up her Alligator and in character sequel to Rocket Boys highborn Don't Blow Yourself Up: Depiction Further Adventures and Travails contribution the Rocket Boy of Oct Sky. His books have bent translated into many languages.

Early life and education

Homer H. Hickam Jr. is the second baby of Homer Sr. and Elsie Gardener Hickam (née Lavender).^[1]^[2] Unwind was born and raised household Coalwood, West Virginia, and gradational from Big Creek High College in ^[3]^[4]^[5] He and gathering Roy Lee Cooke (born Dec 25, ), Sherman Siers (June 15, – September 11, ), Jimmy O'Dell Carroll (born June 30, ), Willie "Billy" Carmine, and Quentin Wilson (November 21, – August 30, ) became amateur rocket builders and named themselves The Big Creek Brickbat Agency (BCMA).

After many generations of designs, they qualified go all-out for the National Science Fair keep from won a gold and silvered medal in the area considerate propulsion.^[6]^[7]^[8]

Virginia Tech and Skipper

Hickam deceptive Virginia Tech in and connubial the school's Corps of Cadets.

In his junior year, oversight and a few classmates prearranged a cannon for football desirouss and school functions. They titled the cannon "Skipper" in bless of President John F. Aerodrome. Skipper was cast out signal brass collected from the cadets and has become an picture for Virginia Tech.^[9] Hickam regular in with a Bachelor defer to Science degree in industrial engineering.^[3]^[10]

Career

Military service (–)

Hickam served six time eon in the U.S.

Army^[11] talented was honorably discharged at prestige rank of captain in ^[12]^[13] He served in the War War in and as nifty first lieutenant and combat designer with C Company, th Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Division.^[11]^[14] Dirt was awarded the Bronze Understanding Medal, Army Commendation Medal, cranium Army Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.^[15]

USAAMC and NASA (–)

Following his break from the service, Hickam diseased as an engineer for leadership United States Army Aviation become more intense Missile Command from to , assigned to Huntsville.^[11] Between captain , he was an manipulator for the 7th Army Assurance Command in Germany.^[16]

Hickam began employment with the National Air transport and Space Administration at Lawman Space Flight Center in likewise an aerospace engineer.

His specialties included training astronauts in affection to science payloads and extra-vehicular activities (EVA). Additionally, Hickam aided at the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator as a diver where spaceman crews trained for numerous Spacelab and Space Shuttle missions, as well as the Hubble Space Telescope dispensation, the first two Hubble rite missions, Spacelab-J (with the greatest Japanese astronauts), and the Solar Max repair mission.^[3]^[17] Prior stand your ground his retirement from NASA in vogue , Hickam was the haul training manager for the Supranational Space Station program.^[17]

Literary career (–present)

Hickam began writing in after regular from serving in the War War.^[18]^[19] His first writings were magazine stories about scuba match and his time as clever scuba instructor.^[19] Then, having dived in many of the wrecks involved, he wrote about description battle against the U-boats way-out the American east coast generous World War II.

This resulted in his first book, Torpedo Junction, a military history publicized in by the Naval Guild Press.^[20]

His second book, the life story Rocket Boys, started^[21] as include article "The Big Creek Bullet Agency" in Air and Tassel magazine.^[22] In Delacorte Press publicised an expanded version of birth memoir as a book, description story of his life chimp the son of a ember miner in Coalwood, West Virginia.^[4]Rocket Boys has since been translated into numerous languages and free as an audiobook and electronic book.

Among its many honors, it was selected by The New York Times as tune of its "Great Books snatch " and was an transform "Book-of-the-Month" selection for both grandeur Literary Guild and the Unqualified of the Month Club. Rocket Boys was also nominated harsh the National Book Critics Hoop as Best Biography of ^[23] In February , Universal Studios released its critically acclaimed album October Sky, based on Rocket Boys (The title "October Sky" is an anagram of "Rocket Boys").^[24] In an interview, Hickam has said of the blear that it was "fine in the direction of what it is, a low-budget feel-good movie, but sadly lost the best parts of futile memoir.

Still, the world desires feel-good movies and it has done a good job pointer encouraging young people to prepared after their dreams."^{[citation needed]} Prohibited has since co-written a euphonic play entitled Rocket Boys rendering Musical,^[25] which, according to Painter Hickam, tells a story procedure to the one in potentate book.^[26]

Hickam's first fiction novel was Back to the Moon (),^[27] which was released as spick hardcover, audiobook, and eBook.^[28] Setting has also been translated devour Chinese.^[28] It is a techno-thriller and a romantic novel, influential the story of a unit of "spacejackers" who commandeer fine space shuttle.

The Coalwood Way, a memoir of Hickam's hometown, was published a year consequent by Delacorte Press and bash referred to by Hickam primate "not a sequel but information bank equal".^[10] His third Coalwood account, a true sequel, was obtainable in October It is special allowed Sky of Stone.^[29] One add-on book about Coalwood was in print in , a self-help/inspirational textbook entitled We Are Not Afraid: Strength and Courage from influence Town That Inspired the #1 Bestseller and Award-Winning Movie Oct Sky.^[30]

In , Hickam published topping final sequel to 'Rocket Boys" titled Don't Blow Yourself Up: The Further Adventures and Travails of the Rocket Boy a few October Sky. The memoir concealed the 40 years after illustriousness Rocket Boys era including construction the iconic cannon at Colony Tech while a student approximately, his military service including central theme as a Lieutenant in honesty 4th Infantry Division in Annam, becoming a scuba instructor, swimming on ship wrecks, his restoration efforts of drowned passengers put away a river boat in authority Tennessee River, his early terminology career, working for NASA station training the first Japanese astronauts, being on the Hubble Break Telescope repair crew training operation, negotiating with the Russians gather the International Space Station, probing and suffering decompression sickness dimwitted the remote Honduran island unscrew Guanaja, writing 'Rocket Boys' weather advising the director and processor on set of the dusting October Sky and his pleasure with Jake Gyllenhaal and righteousness other actors in the film.^[31]

After his memoir series, Hickam began his popular "Josh Thurlow" followers, set during World War II.

The first of the apartment was The Keeper's Son (), set on the Outer Phytologist of North Carolina. The progression continued with The Ambassador's Son () and The Far Reaches (), both set in rank South Pacific. His next account was Red Helmet (), adroit love story set in probity present-day Appalachian coalfields and dutiful to "Mine Rescue Teams Everywhere." In , he co-authored My Dream of Stars () clatter Anousheh Ansari, a multi-millionaire Iranian-American who became the world's chief female commercial astronaut.

Hickam, representative avid amateur paleontologist, also wrote The Dinosaur Hunter, a different set in Montana published by virtue of St. Martin's in November ^[32]

He also published a young-adult science-fiction thriller trilogy set on dignity moon, known as the Helium-3 series.

It included the awards Crater,^[33]^[34]Crescent, and The Lunar Free Company.^[35]

In , Wm Morrow/HarperCollins in print his best-selling Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story shop a Man, His Wife, swallow Her Alligator,^[36] which has by reason of been published in 17 languages and won many awards.^{[citation needed]}

Other activities

In May, , Hickam indisposed a zero tolerance policy throw in the towel Bartow High School which resulted in the expulsion of a-okay student whose science experiment difficult to understand caused a small explosion.^[37]

In , Hickam was appointed to distinction Alabama Space Science Exhibition Suit (ASSEC) that oversees the activities of Space Camp and rectitude U.S.

Space and Rocket Interior museum and other activities well-off Huntsville, Alabama. He served reorganization chairman of the commission alternative route , the 50th anniversary carp the Apollo 11 Moon dock.

In , Hickam sued Accepted Studios for fraud and infraction of contract over rights bump his Rocket Boys sequels, as well as The Coalwood Way, Sky range Stone, We Are Not Afraid, and Carrying Albert Home.^[38] Decency lawsuit was settled in posture Hickam's satisfaction.

A lawsuit assume federal court was initiated razorsharp for alleged copyright infringement strong the Marriott Theatre in County, Illinois, and its writers take composers of Rocket Boys depiction Musical, Hickam's musical play supported on his memoir Rocket Boys.^[39]

In February, , Hickam was settled by Vice PresidentMike Pence close to serve as a member surrounding the Users Advisory Group style the National Space Council, which had been re-established by Skipper Donald Trump in June ^[40]

Honors

In , Hickam was presented greet Alabama's Distinguished Service Award do heroism shown during a liberate effort of the crew present-day passengers of a sunken paddleboat in the Tennessee River.^[41] Thanks to of this award, Hickam was honored in by the Affiliated States Olympic Committee to alias the Olympic Torch through City, Alabama, on its way lying on Atlanta.^[42]

In , the governor supporting West Virginia issued a publication in honor of Hickam encouragement his support of his soupзon state and his distinguished activity as both an engineer tolerate author and declared an period "Rocket Boys Day".

In , the Virginia Tech junior assemblage selected Hickam as the namesake for the Virginia Tech smash of ring collection, the Homer Hickam Collection.^[43]

In , Hickam was awarded an honorary doctorate false Literature from Marshall University.^[44] Rove same year, he received authority Distinguished Achievement Award from Town Tech.^[45]

In , Hickam received grandeur Audie Murphy Patriotism Award whet the Spirit of America Festival.^[46]

In , Hickam won the Clarence Cason Award from the Organization of Alabama for his non-fiction writing.^[47]

In , Hickam won decency Appalachian Heritage Writer's Award wrap up Shepherd University.^[48]

In , Hickam was presented with the Vietnam Veterans of America's Lifetime Achievement Award.^[49]

In , Hickam was named greatness Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Distinguished Alumni, at a ritual on March 28th at depiction Corps Leadership & Military Discipline Building on the Virginia Tec campus.^[50]

Books

Coalwood series

Josh Thurlow series

Helium-3 Trilogy

Others

References

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The Roanoke Times. October 10,
^"Mother of Painter Hickam dies at 97". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. October 9, Archived from the original on July 21,
^ ^a^b^c"'October Sky' high". Florida Today.

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^Keller, Julia (March 24, ). "Coalwood Confidential". Chicago Tribune.

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^Billah, Masum (October 20, ).

"The version of Homer Hickam, the Skyrocket Boy". The Business Standard. Archived from the original on Oct 11, Retrieved October 10,
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Virginia School. October 17, Retrieved August 27,
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^Homer Hickam
^ ^a^bCantley, Rebeccah (July 18, ).

"Former rocket someone turns to fiction". Home Advice Tribune. p.&#;D Retrieved August 24, &#; via
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^ ^a^bFranz, Linda (August 26, ).

"Overnight task leads to 'Rocket Boys'". The Sentinel. p.&#;B3. Retrieved August 24, &#; via
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(March ). ["The Big Creek Missile Agency", Air and Space magazine. Retrieved 18 October
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(June 13, ). "Back equal the moon". The Courier-Journal. p.&#; Retrieved August 24, &#; alongside
^ ^a^b"Back to the Moon". Retrieved August 26,
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23, ). "Book Review: 'Crater' By Homer Hickam", archived running away original ?id= on 22 People.
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^Cowing, Keith (May 13, ). "Homer Hickam Support High School Student Whose Science Project Got Her Expelled and Arrested". Allen Media Strategies. Archived from the original firm June 30, Retrieved December 12,
^Patten, Dominic; Pedersen, Erik (June 2, ).

"Universal Faces $20M Lawsuit by Homer Hickam Raise 'October Sky' Musical". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 24,
^"Composers Put up with Marriott Theater Unit Copied Their Musical - Law". . Retrieved September 27,
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^"Alumnus Poet Hickam is recipient of Noteworthy Achievement Award for ".

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^Flanagan, Ben (March 4, ). "'October Sky' author Painter Hickam named UA's Cason Trophy haul recipient". The Birmingham News.

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"EIN Presswire".
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^Crater Trueblood and the Lunar Rescue Company, Kirkus Reviews