Astronaut William Anders at 1999 National Championship Air Races

In 1968, Anders was one of the first astronauts to orbit the moon on Apollo 8.

Born Oct. 17, 1933 in Hong Kong, Anders graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1955 and after graduation was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force, serving as a fighter pilot. NASA selected Anders to be an astronaut in 1964. He received his first flight assignment as a member of the Apollo 8 crew along with Jim Lovell and Frank Borman.

In 1968, Apollo 8 became the first manned ship to leave Earth's orbit as the first human mission to the moon. On Christmas Eve, the astronauts fired into lunar orbit and described the desolate, catered landscape just 60 miles beneath them. In a Christmas Eve message to the world, Borman, Lovell and Anders read the story of creation from the Bible's Book of Genesis.

Anders left NASA after the Apollo 8 mission. From 1969 to 1973, he served as executive secretary of the National Aeronautics and Space Council. In 1973, he was appointed to the Atomic Energy Commission and in 1975 he was appointed by President Ford as first chairman of the newly formed Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Ford later named him U.S. Ambassador to Norway. Anders left the federal government in 1977 to become a manager at General Electric Co. He later held top positions at General Dynamics Corp. before retiring in 1996.

With a total of six race classes and a star-studded air show, the NCAR Board of Directors is looking to make this year's event the best ever. NASA astronauts from every space program will serve as grand marshals and the United States Air Force Thunderbirds will present several shows, all courtesy of the Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino. The 1999 Reno Air Races and Air Show are Sept. 16-19 at the Reno/Stead Airport. Ticket prices for the Air Races range from $8 general admission to a four-day, reserved seat season pass at $80. Pit Passes, Box Seats, VIP packages and sponsorships are also available. For ticket information call (775) 972-6663.