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Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager

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Last Wartime Rank:   Captain Unit(s):   363rd Fighter Squadron   357th Fighter Group   8th USAAF Theatre(s): ETO Victories: 11.5 Air Total Sorties: 64 Aircraft Flown: – P-39 Airacobra – P-51 Mustang

In 1945, returned to USA as Instructor Pilot at Perrin Field, Texas. Assigned to flight test at Wright Field, Ohio in July 1945 evaluating all captured Axis aircraft and the many test projects. Assistant Chief of Flight Test Operations, graduates from the Flight Performance School in 1946. Became Project Officer for the Bell XS-1, attaining the first ever supersonic flight on October 14, 1947.

In 1952, attended Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Became C.O. 417th FIS, Hahn AFB in West Germany and Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France in 1954. First-place honors in 1956 Weapons Gunnery Meet. In 1957, returned to the USA assigned to the 413th FW at George AFB, California. In 1958, became C.O. 1st FIS. Graduated from the Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, in June 1961. In 1962, became commandant of the Aerospace Research Pilot School (now USAF Test Pilot School) for training astronauts.

In 1966, became C.O. 405th TFW at Clark AFB, Philippines, and flew 127 missions in South Vietnam. In 1968, Yeager became C.O. of the 4th TFW at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, and deployed with the wing to Korea during the USS Pueblo Crisis. In 1969, became Vice-commander, 17th AF, at Ramstein AFB, West Germany and was promoted to Brigadier General. In 1971, became United States Defense Representative to Pakistan. In 1973, General Yeager became Director of the USAF Inspection and Safety Center, Norton AFB, California. Retired from active duty on March 1, 1975. Remained as a Consultant Test Pilot at Edwards AFB, California.

Decoration: Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star with 1 OLC Legion of Merit w/ 1 OLC Bronze Star Distinguished Flying Cross w/ 2 OLC Air Medal with 10 OLC

Purple Heart Air Force Commendation Distinguished Unit Citation w/ 1 OLC Air Force Outstanding Unit Korea National Security Merit.

Civilian Awards: Distinguished Service Medal MacKay Trophy Federation Aeronautique International Gold Medal Award Collier Trophy Harmon International Trophy Honorary Doctor of Science Degrees from West Virginia University, Marshall University, Salem College and the University of Charleston

One of Ten Outstanding Young Men by the Jaycees National Aviation Hall of Fame Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement Horatio Alger Award Congressional Medal of Honor Presidential Medal of Freedom.

REMARKS:
Yeager was the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound in the Bell XS-1 rocket-powered aircraft on October 14,1947, at Muroc Air Base which later became Edwards AFB, California. Yeager was first to perform a takeoff from the ground in a rocket-propelled aircraft, the Bell X-1A and fly 2.5 times the speed of sound.

On October 14, 1997 as part of the 50th Anniversary of the USAF and his historic supersonic flight, Chuck Yeager at age 74, flew an F-15 Eagle to break the sound barrier.