Willie McCool’s link to Olympic National Park is our Most Inspirational Friend award, which many people simply call the Willie McCool Award. He was the first person our board chose for it, in 2003. McCool was the pilot of Space Shuttle Columbia and a hiker, and he was lost in the Columbia disaster before he could receive the award.
Since then we have presented the award each March, in his memory, to people who give the park their best. This post tells his story as NASA records it, and lists everyone who has carried his name forward.
Who was Willie McCool?
William Cameron “Willie” McCool was born on September 23, 1961, in San Diego, California. According to his official NASA astronaut biography, he was an Eagle Scout who graduated second in a class of 1,083 at the US Naval Academy in 1983. He went on to earn master’s degrees in computer science and aeronautical engineering.
NASA’s biography also lists what he loved outside work: running, mountain biking, back country hiking and camping, swimming, playing guitar and chess. That list will sound familiar to anyone who spends weekends on Olympic trails.
Navy years in Washington State
McCool’s Navy career brought him to our corner of the country. After flight training in 1986, he was assigned to Whidbey Island, Washington, for EA-6B Prowler training. He later returned to Whidbey Island with another squadron and was on deployment work-ups when NASA selected him in 1996.
The City of Anacortes counts him among its local claims to fame. The city notes that he lived in Anacortes and flew a fir cone from its community forestlands into space.
STS-107 and the loss of Columbia
NASA records that McCool logged more than 2,800 flight hours in 24 aircraft before joining the astronaut corps. He reported to Johnson Space Center in August 1996 and qualified as a shuttle pilot after two years of training.
His only flight was STS-107, a 16-day science mission that launched on January 16, 2003. Working around the clock in two shifts, the seven-member crew completed about 80 experiments, and McCool spent 15 days, 22 hours and 20 minutes in space.
On February 1, 2003, Columbia and her crew were lost during re-entry over the southern United States, 16 minutes before the scheduled landing. McCool was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
Why our award carries his name
Friends of Olympic National Park was founded in 2002, and the Most Inspirational Friend award began the following year. Our board named Willie McCool, a NASA shuttle pilot and a hiker, as its very first awardee. He was lost before he could receive it, so the award has been known by his name ever since.
We think the pairing fits. A man who loved back country hiking and camping, and who saw the Earth from orbit, stands for the curiosity and service we hope to honor in the park. You can read more about our Most Inspirational awards and why we give them.
Willie McCool Award recipients through the years
Since 2004 the award has gone to mountaineers, park staff, trail crews, nursery volunteers and neighbours. The table below lists each Most Inspirational Friend exactly as our past recipients of the Most Inspirational awards page records them.
Most Inspirational Friend recipients by year
| Year | Recipient | Recognized as or for |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Willie McCool | NASA Space Shuttle Columbia pilot, hiker |
| 2004 | Jim Whittaker | mountaineer, author |
| 2005 | David Morris | ONP retired Superintendent, Peace Corps volunteer |
| 2006 | Ray Lovely | ONP Volunteer Coordinator |
| 2007 | Barb Maynes | ONP Information Officer |
| 2008 | Dr. Paul Gleeson | archeologist, ONP Chief of Cultural Resources |
| 2009 | Ross Hamilton | noted local photographer |
| 2010 | Backcountry Horsemen of Washington | volunteer trail maintenance |
| 2011 | Neil & Lisa Turnberg | plant nursery volunteers |
| 2012 | Mayor Cherie Kidd | Hurricane Ridge winter access |
| 2013 | Larry Stetson | late president & board member, FONP |
| 2014 | Beth Rossow | volunteer Bogachiel backcountry ranger |
| 2015 | Dave Skinner | Park trails volunteer |
| 2016 | Dr. Sam Baker | Park volunteer, medical & trails |
| 2017 | Mike and Sue Raney | for founding Olympic Conservation Corps trail crews |
| 2018 | Becca Wanagel | WTA volunteer crew leader |
| 2019 | Jeff Monroe | for moving Enchanted Valley Chalet |
| 2021 | Dale Julander | Newsletter Editor |
| 2022 | Ray Weinmann & Ray Weigel | Presidential Awards Volunteerism |
| 2023 | Dave and Kathy Anderson | community and FONP volunteerism |
| 2024 | Desiree Marble | Research & Implementation, East Beach Graffiti Removal |
A few of these stories have their own pages. Read about Jeff Monroe and the work of moving the Enchanted Valley Chalet, and about the graffiti removal project at East Beach that Desiree Marble researched and helped carry out.
What the recipients have in common
Read the list closely and three groups stand out. Some recipients worked inside the park, like a volunteer coordinator, an information officer and an archeologist. Others gave their weekends to trails, from the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington to the founders of the Olympic Conservation Corps trail crews.
The third group is our own community: a photographer, a mayor recognized for Hurricane Ridge winter access, nursery volunteers and a newsletter editor. None of them flew in space, but each shared McCool’s habit of showing up and doing the work. That is the thread the award follows.
Remembering Columbia each year
NASA holds a Day of Remembrance each year for the astronauts lost in the quest for space exploration, and wreaths are laid at the Columbia memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. Our March award is a small, local echo of that remembrance, rooted in the kind of back country he loved.
A companion award for park employees
Since 2009 we have also named a Most Inspirational Park Employee, chosen for work done in their park roles. In 2025 it went to Rachel Overpeck and Bruce Rothweiler, rangers at Heart O’ the Hills. Together the two awards honor both sides of the partnership that keeps Olympic special.
How to be part of the tradition
The Willie McCool Award is presented each March, and members are invited to our annual events. Check our upcoming events to see what is coming up next. If someone you know gives the park their time and heart, tell our board about an inspiring park friend.
The simplest way to honor McCool’s spirit is to get outside and help. Our step-by-step guide to volunteering at Olympic National Park shows where to start, and you can become a member of Friends of Olympic National Park from $15 a year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Willie McCool Award?
It is the popular name for the Most Inspirational Friend award from Friends of Olympic National Park. Our board presents it each March, in memory of its first awardee, astronaut Willie McCool.
Who was Willie McCool?
William Cameron McCool was a Navy test pilot and NASA astronaut, born in 1961. He was the pilot of Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-107 and listed back country hiking and camping among his favorite pastimes.
What happened to Willie McCool?
He was lost with the six other STS-107 crew members on February 1, 2003, when Space Shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry, 16 minutes before its scheduled landing.
What was Willie McCool’s connection to Washington State?
His Navy career included EA-6B Prowler squadrons at Whidbey Island, and the City of Anacortes notes that he lived there. Our board chose him in 2003 as the first Most Inspirational Friend.
Who has received the Willie McCool Award?
Recipients since 2004 include mountaineer Jim Whittaker, park staff, trail volunteers and community members. The full list is on our past recipients page.
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