By Captain Pyke | August 19, 2011 - 9:03 pm

Eugene Wesley Roddenberry was born August 19th 1921 in El Paso, Texas. Today would have been Gene's 90th birthday, so we pay tribute to the late Great Bird of the Galaxy. Gene's brain child, Star Trek, is celebrating it's 45th anniversary this year and continues to inspire and provoke generations. We recently returned from Vegas Khhaaan! 2011, where more than 20,000 fans participated in one of the largest, if not THE largest, Trek Convention. This proves that Star Trek, and Gene's vision, still has an indelible mark on history with more fans added each year.

Gene started life as a sickly young boy who would dream of traveling to the stars. He flew combat missions in the Pacific Theatre during WWII with the "Bomber Barons" of the 394th Bomb Squadron, 5th Bombardment Wing of the Thirteenth Air Force. In total, Gene flew eighty-nine missions for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.

After WWII, Gene worked as a commercial pilot for Pan American World Airways (Pan Am). He received a Civil Aeronautics commendation for his rescue efforts following a June 1947 crash in the Syrian desert while on a flight to Istanbul from Karachi.

Leaving Pan Am in 1949, Gene moved back to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a script writer. To provide for his family, Gene joined the LAPD, quickly rising to the rank of Sergeant. By the end of his time with the LAPD, Gene was the speech writer for LAPD Chief William H. Parker. For whom, it's reported that Gene based Spock's emotionless rational behavior.

During and after his stint with the LAPD, Gene wrote for many famous television series of the late 50's & early 60's. These include Have Gun Will Travel, Highway Patrol, West Point, Boots & Saddles, etc. Gene also produced several series of his own before Star Trek, including The Lieutenant, APO 923, Night Stick (unaired) & Defiance County (unaired).

In 1964 Gene started work on a little know series that include a multinational crew aboard a starship that was best surmised as "Wagon Train to the stars". Star Trek underwent several changes and two pilots before reaching the airwaves on September 8th, 1966. And the rest, as the say, IS history.

Gene had the ultimate belief that human beings could rise above their adversity and challenges to solve the world's problems. We think that this was best summed up by the man himself...

"Humans are capable of so much more than we yet understand... We're really something. Star Trek fans believe that... and so do I... For us, no limits." -- Gene Roddenberry

Happy birthday, Gene.

(info source Wikipedia.org)