Signed Astronaut Jerry Carr Beta Cloth - This square of beta cloth, the official fireproof material used in the outer covering of space suits, is hand-signed by astronaut Colonel Gerald "Jerry" Carr. This material consists of silica fiber, and has been used for the development of Apollo/Skylab A7L space suits, the Apollo Thermal Micrometeoroid Garment, as well as the McDivitt purse. Jerry Carr was born in Denver, Colorado in 1932, and served in the U.S. Navy beginning in 1950 as an aviator. He was also commissioned by the U.S. Marine Corps after his graduation from the University of Southern California, serving with the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122. In April of 1966, he was selected by NASA along with 19 others to become an astronaut. He was part of the astronaut support crews for Apollo 8 and Apollo 12, and proceeded to spent the remainder of his NASA career as commander Skylab 4. He retired in 1977 as a Colonel.