Born: October 5, 1929 in Seattle, Washington. Graduated from the University of Washington in 1951 with a B.S. in chemistry. He has since also received an honorary science doctorate from Niagara University. He was selected for the third astronaut group by NASA in 1963, served as back up pilot for Gemini 8 and subsequently flew in space aboard Gemini 11. The primary assignment of the Gemini 11 crew was to carry out engineering tests to obtain data for planning under the later Apollo program, and to dock with the target vehicle Agena launched earlier.

He later served as back-up command module pilot for Apollo 9, and was the prime crew command module pilot for Apollo 12 on 1969.

After serving as back-up commander for Apollo 15, Gordon retired from NASA in 1972. He became vice-president of the New Orleans Saints football team, and later a director of Scot Science and Technology, Inc. He subsequently became president of Astro Sciences Corporation in Los Angeles, and is currently president of Space Age America.