Yeah, I wasn't chosen to be first. I was just chosen to command that flight. Circumstance put me in that particular role. That wasn't planned by anyone.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
We were flying on a winged vehicle that would do reentry different than we had ever done before. So all of those were firsts. Test pilots truly love firsts.
As plans for the first lunar landing started to be made, nobody had really thought about who would be out first.
I'll admit I wanted to be a pilot, originally.
I was the first Navy, Marine or Air Force person who had been an astronaut to return back to the Air Force. I had certain expectations about what would be a reasonable and desirable position to be assigned to after my years of service.
I was a naval officer and aviator. I tested airplanes and got selected to be an astronaut later on.
My first inclination was toward flying and being a pilot.
Neil Armstrong, when he was out there landing on the moon, I was there first.
I never declared I wanted to be an astronaut, as I considered that was presumptuous.
But I felt it necessary to be part of the war effort and I enlisted in the Navy to be a flyer.
I just personally decided I was going to be the first woman fighter pilot.