Edward H. White II was an American astronaut and the first person to conduct a spacewalk, or extravehicular activity (EVA), during the Gemini 4 mission in 1965. Born on November 14, 1930, in San Antonio, Texas, he became a test pilot and was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1962. His historic spacewalk lasted about 23 minutes, allowing him to float freely in space while tethered to the spacecraft. Tragically, White lost his life in the Apollo 1 accident on January 27, 1967, along with fellow astronauts Gus Grissom and Roger B. Chaffee. The fire during a pre-launch test highlighted safety issues in the Apollo program, leading to significant design changes. White is remembered for his contributions to space exploration and his pioneering spirit.