Years have passed but there are still many firsts to accomplish. Among the list of famous firsts are Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, and Sputnik, the first artificial satellite in space. One of the many extraordinary people who have managed to join that list is Chuck Yeager.
Charles E. Yeager, born in Myra, West Virginia, in 1923, became the first person ever to break the sound barrier in flight. This simply means that he flew faster than the speed of sound. The record maker died at the age of 97, on December 7, 2020. Here are five other things to know about the aviator.
A War Veteran
Yeager was a combat fighter, a private, and an aircraft mechanic in World War II, according to History.com. In all those years, he managed to fly 64 missions over Europe, and shot down 13 German planes. The pilot was also shot down and was held captive. But he found a way to escape using the French Underground.
He also served as a wind commander in the Vietnam war, in which he participated in more combat missions than in World War II. He flew 130 combat missions, making his track record 194 combat missions overall.
A Pilot's Courage
The Bell Aircraft Company built an experimental rocket plane called the X-1. Its purpose was to explore supersonic flight. Many believed that men should not fly faster than sound, as the transonic drag rise would pull any aircraft apart.
This did not deter Chuck Yeager at all. He volunteered for a flight test of the X-1 and was among the chosen few. He flew the plane over Rogers Dry Lake in Southern California. Although, the project was not revealed to the public at the time, which is why Yeager's achievement was not known until 1948.
The Flight of a Bullet
The X-1 plane had thin wings and a streamlined fuselage. It was modeled after a .50-caliber bullet to help with its aerodynamics, allowing it to rocket at 40,000 feet and move past 662 miles per hour, after having been lifted by a B-29 aircraft to an altitude of 25,000 feet. He nicknamed the plane "Glamorous Glennis" after his wife.
Called in the Face of Tragedy
In 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger faced major complications and fell apart 73 seconds after blasting off. The disaster killed all seven astronauts on board. President Ronald Reagan ordered an investigation to look into the accident. Chuck Yeager was among the people who served on the Presidential commission.
A Decorated Man
Yeager accumulated 33 years of service after retiring from the Air Force with the rank of brigadier general, in 1975. His service allowed him to receive several awards and commendations. This includes the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star. In 1985, he was also given the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as mentioned in Space.com.
