posted 09-07-2010 07:53 AM               

Theodore C. Freeman (1930-64) of Lewes, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who completed his secondary education in his hometown. He entered the NASA space program and became one of its first astronauts. He earned 2,000 jet hours and was killed when a collision with a snow goose shattered his jet canopy on a landing approach.

posted 09-07-2010 08:32 AM               

While saying he might have been the first man on the moon may be quite some stretch, just consider this; it was rumoured prior to his death that Freeman was going to be named on the backup crew of Gemini 9 (along with Tom Stafford) to support his good friend Charlie Bassett. Had Freeman, Bassett and See not died in T-38 crashes, Freeman (if the reports were correct) would have flown on Gemini 12 under the then-prevailing selection system instead of Buzz Aldrin. It can only remain as unsupported conjecture, but it's certainly an interesting thought.