NAME:  Charles D. (nickname Sam) Gemar (Lt. Colonel, USA)
       NASA Astronaut
 
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE:  Born August 4, 1955, in Yankton, South Dakota, but home
is Scotland, South Dakota, where his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leighton A. Gemar,
reside.
 
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:  Blond hair; blue eyes; 5 feet 11 inches; 170 pounds.
 
EDUCATION:  Graduated from Scotland Public High School, Scotland, South Dakota,
in 1973; received a bachelor of science degree in engineering from the U.S.
Military Academy in 1979.
 
MARITAL STATUS:  Married to the former Charlene Stringer of Savannah, Georgia.
 
CHILDREN:  Grant Leighton, November 27, 1990; Ashley Marie, May 22, 1992.
 
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS:  He enjoys water sports, jogging, woodworking, and
travel.
 
ORGANIZATIONS:  United States Military Academy Association of Graduates, Army
Aviation Association of America, Association of Space Explorers-USA, Mount
Rushmore National Monument Preservation Society; Nassau Bay Volunteer Fire
Department.
 
SPECIAL HONORS:  Gemar was distinguished graduate of his class in undergraduate
pilot training, and distinguished graduate of his class in graduate fixed-wing
and multi-engine pilot training.  Recipient of the Defense Superior Service
Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, two
National Defense Service Medals, NASA Achievement Medal, and NASA Space Flight
Medal.  Honorary Doctor of Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines
and Technology.  Honorary Chair for Membership of the South Dakota Congress of
Parents and Teachers.
 
EXPERIENCE:  Gemar enlisted in the Army in January 1973 and reported for duty
on June 11, 1973.  In November 1973, he was assigned to the 18th Airborne Corps
at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, where he received an appointment to the U.S.
Military Academy Preparatory School at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, and later a
Department of the Army appointment to join the U.S. Military Academy Class of
1979.  After graduation he attended the Infantry Officers Basic Course at Ft.
Benning, Georgia, the Initial Entry Rotary Wing Aviation Course and the Fixed
Wing Multi-Engine Aviators Course, both at Ft. Rucker, Alabama.  In October
1980, he transferred to the 24th Infantry Division, Ft. Stewart, Georgia, where
he remained until January 1, 1985.  While at Ft. Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield
he served as an Assistant Flight Operations Officer and Flight Platoon Leader
for the 24th Combat Aviation Battalion, Wright Army Airfield Commander, and
Chief, Operations Branch, Hunter Army Airfield.  Other Military Schools
completed include the Army Parachutist Course, Ranger School, and the Aviation
Officers Advanced Course.
 
NASA EXPERIENCE:  Selected by NASA in June 1985, Gemar completed a one year
training and evaluation program and became an Astronaut in July 1986.  He is
qualified for assignment as a mission specialist on future Space Shuttle flight
crews.  Since then he has held a variety of technical assignments in support of
the Space Shuttle Program, including software testing in the Shuttle Avionics
Integration Laboratory (SAIL), and launch support activities at the Kennedy
Space Center; and currently serves as a capsule communicator (CAPCOM) in
mission control during Space Shuttle missions.  Gemar has flown twice and has
logged over 245 hours in space.  He flew on STS-38 (Nov 15-20, 1990) and more
recently on STS-48 (September 12-18, 1991).
 
On his first mission, Gemar served on the five man crew of STS-38 which
launched at night from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on November 15,
1990.  During the five day mission crew members conducted Department of Defense
operations.  After 80 orbits of the earth in 117 hours, in the first Shuttle
recovery in Florida since 1985, Space Shuttle Atlantis and her crew landed back
at the Kennedy Space Center on November 20, 1990.
 
Gemar then served on the five man crew of STS-48 aboard the Space Shuttle
Discovery, which launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on September
12, 1991.  During 81 orbits of the earth, the crew successfully deployed the
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS, designed to study the Earth's upper
atmosphere's chemistry, winds and energy inputs, in addition to conducting
numerous secondary experiments ranging from growing protein crystals, to
studying how fluids and structures react in weightlessness.  This five day
mission concluded with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on
September 18, 1991.  Mission duration was 128 hours.
 
JUNE 1992