<Tr> <Th> Occupation </Th> <Td> Mountaineer </Td> </Tr> <P> James W. Whittaker (born February 10, 1929), also known as Jim Whittaker, is an American mountaineer . </P> <P> As a member of the American Mount Everest Expedition led by Norman Dyhrenfurth in 1963, he was the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest . He summited on May 1, 1963, with the Sherpa Nawang Gombu (a nephew of Tenzing Norgay). They ran out of oxygen but managed to reach the summit . Once there, Whittaker planted a US flag at the top . </P> <P> He is the twin brother of Lou Whittaker, a mountain guide who is often mistakenly credited with that achievement . </P>

Who was the first american to climb mount everest
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