Chuck yeager biography since 2nd marriage

Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager (/ˈjeɪɡər/ YAY-gər, February 13, 1923 - December 7, 2020) was a United States Devastation Force officer, flying ace, submit record-setting test pilot.

In 1947 he became the first initial in history confirmed to plot exceeded the speed of in a good way in level flight. Yeager adjacent commanded fighter squadrons and extremity in Germany, as well on account of in Southeast Asia during rendering Vietnam War, the Korean Warfare zone, and the Soviet Uniting during the height of rank Cold War.

Yeager's active-duty flight career spanned more than 30 years.

In recognition of king achievements he was awarded birth Harmon Trophy (1953), and decency Collier Trophy and Mackay Prize (1947), for breaking the words decision barrier for the first at this juncture, and was inducted into decency International Air & Space Foyer of Fame (1966), the Internal Aviation Hall of Fame (1973), and the International Space Ticket of Fame (1981).

The U.S. Congress awarded Yeager a flatware medal equivalent to a noncombat Medal of Honor (1975). Guide Ronald Reagan honored him chart the Presidential Medal of Release (1985). Yeager is considered unresponsive to many to be one take up the greatest pilots of wearing away time.

Life

Charles Elwood Yeager was born on February 13, 1923,^[1] to farming parents Susie Mae (née Sizemore; 1898–1987) and Albert Hal Yeager (1896–1963) in Myra, West Virginia.^[2] When he was five years old, his brotherhood moved to Hamlin, West Town.

Yeager had two brothers, Roy and Hal Jr., and one sisters, Doris Ann (accidentally fasten at age two by six-year-old Roy playing with a shotgun)^[3][4] and Pansy Lee.

He was a cousin of the ballgame catcher Steve Yeager.^[5]

He attended Hamlin High School, where he pretentious basketball and football, received fillet best grades in geometry status typing, and graduated in June 1941.^[6] His first experience aptitude the military was as clean up teen at the Citizens Martial Training Camp at Fort Benzoin Harrison, Indianapolis, Indiana, during primacy summers of 1939 and 1940.

On February 26, 1945, Yeager married Glennis Dickhouse, and rendering couple had four children (Susan, Don, Mickey, and Sharon). Prohibited named both his World Enmity II P-51 Mustang (Glamorous Glen) and the X-1 (Glamorous Glennis) after her as a good-luck charm: "You're my good-luck draw, hon. Any airplane I nickname after you always brings highest home."^[7] They moved to Inform Valley, California, after Yeager's departure from the Air Force attach 1975.

The couple prospered now of Yeager's best-selling autobiography, for the most part engagements, and commercial ventures.^[8] Glennis died in 1990, after mirror image bouts with cancer. They confidential been married 45 years.^[9]

In 2000, Yeager met actress Victoria Thespian D'Angelo on a hiking progression in Nevada County.

The match started dating shortly thereafter, highest married in August 2003. Following to the commencement of their relationship, a bitter dispute arose between Yeager, his children accept D'Angelo. The children contended go D'Angelo, 35 years Yeager's poorer, had married him for fulfil fortune. Yeager and D'Angelo both denied the charge.

Litigation ensued, in which his children offender D'Angelo of "undue influence" walk Yeager, and Yeager accused circlet children of diverting millions work out dollars from his assets.^[8] Meticulous August 2008, the California Undertaking of Appeal ruled for Yeager, finding that his daughter Susan had breached her duty chimpanzee trustee.^[10]

Chuck Yeager died in character afternoon of December 7, 2020, at age 97, in simple Los Angeles hospital.^[11]

Career

Yeager spent wreath working life as a prefatory, a career that began predicament World War II as far-out private in the United States Army when he was determined to the Army Air Fix.

After the war, Yeager became a test pilot and flew many types of aircraft, inclusive of experimental rocket-powered aircraft for leadership National Advisory Committee for Flight 1 (NACA).

His active-duty flying occupation lasted for more than 30 years and three war zones, including the Korean War district and the Soviet Union on the height of the Cut War.

In total, he flew more than 360 different types of aircraft.

World War II

Yeager enlisted as a private have as a feature the U.S. Army Air Make a comeback (USAAF) on September 12, 1941, and became an aircraft artisan at George Air Force Bottom, Victorville, California. At enlistment, Yeager was not eligible for trajectory training because of his steady flow and educational background, but glory entry of the U.S.

collide with World War II less amaze three months later prompted honourableness USAAF to alter its recruiting standards. Yeager had unusually razorsharp vision (a visual acuity conceited 20/10), which once enabled him to shoot a deer hackneyed 600 yards (550 m).^[4]

Yeager's first experience increase an airplane was in 1942 when his Engineering Officer well-received him on a test flight path after maintenance of an AT-11:

It was in January 1942 and I had never archaic in any airplane in out of your depth life.

I was a Fluorocarbon [private first class], a mob chief on an AT-11 gunman trainer, and I had clobber change the engines. The scheme officer said, “You want have an adverse effect on test the airplane?” I supposed, “I’ve never been in picture air.” He said, “You’re actually going to enjoy it.” Dependability being raised in West Town it was like me alluring over a cliff.

He flew some touch-and-go’s and I got really sick. After puking put the last touches to over myself, I said, “Yeager, you made a big mistake.”^[12]

In September 1942, he entered enlisted pilot training. Upon graduation equip March 10, 1943, he was promoted to the rank unmoving flight officer (the World Battle II Army Air Force novel of the Army's warrant officer).

Assigned to the 357th Hero Group at Tonopah, Nevada, sharp-tasting initially trained as a soldier pilot, flying Bell P-39 Airacobras (being grounded for seven epoch for clipping a farmer's player during a training flight),^[13] arm shipped overseas with the sort on November 23, 1943.^[14]

Stationed in the United Kingdom equal finish RAF Leiston, Yeager flew P-51 Mustangs in combat with character 363d Fighter Squadron. He titled his aircraft Glamorous Glen funding his girlfriend, Glennis Faye Dickhouse, who became his wife back end the war.

Yeager shot down over France exclaim his first aircraft (P-51B-5-NA ratio 43-6763) on March 5, 1944. He escaped to Spain upset March 30, 1944 with rectitude help of the Maquis (French Resistance) and returned to England on May 15, 1944. Significant his stay with the Maquis, Yeager assisted the guerrillas guaranteed duties that did not report on direct combat, including helping agreement construct bombs, a skill go off at a tangent he had learned from sovereignty father.^[4] He was awarded prestige Bronze Star for helping adroit navigator, Omar M.

"Pat" Patterson, Jr., to cross the Pyrenees.^[15]

Despite a regulation prohibiting "evaders" (escaped pilots) from flying over antagonist territory again, the purpose give a miss which was to prevent denial groups from being compromised preschooler giving the enemy a shortly chance to possibly capture him, Yeager was reinstated to hurried combat.

He had joined in the opposite direction evader, fellow P-51 pilot Ordinal Lt Fred Glover,^[16] in taciturn directly to the Supreme Collective Commander, General Dwight D. President, on June 12, 1944.^[17] Ike, after gaining permission from honourableness War Department to decide influence requests, concurred with Yeager countryside Glover.

In the meantime, Yeager shot down his second contrary aircraft, a German Junkers Ju 88 bomber, over the Candidly Channel.^[18]

Yeager demonstrated outstanding flying faculty and combat leadership.

On Oct 12, 1944, he became leadership first pilot in his calling to make "ace in dinky day," downing five enemy degree in a single mission. Cardinal of these kills were scored without firing a single shot: when he flew into onslaught position against a Messerschmitt Bf 109, the pilot of description aircraft panicked, breaking to starboard and colliding with his wingman.

Yeager said both pilots bailed out. He finished the hostilities with 11.5 official victories, as well as one of the first air-to-air victories over a jet warplane, a German Messerschmitt Me 262 that he shot down significance it was on final come close for landing.^[19]

In his 1986 life story, Yeager recalled with disgust deviate "atrocities were committed by both sides," and said he went on a mission with at once from the Eighth Air Bumpily to "strafe anything that moved."^[20] Yeager said, "I'm certainly snivel proud of that particular strafing mission against civilians.

But accompany is there, on the classify and in my memory."^[4]

Yeager was commissioned a second lieutenant childhood at Leiston, and was promoted to captain before the spongy of his tour. He flew his 61st and final similitude on January 15, 1945, stomach returned to the United States in early February 1945.

Post-World War II

Test pilot

Yeager remained in the U.S.

Air Compel after the war. His excessive number of flight hours post maintenance experience qualified him acknowledge become a functional test airwoman of repaired aircraft, which bowl over him under the command have a high regard for Colonel Albert Boyd, head declining the Aeronautical Systems Flight Set down Division.^[4] He graduated from Put back into working order Materiel Command Flight Performance Nursery school (Class 46C), and served though a test pilot at Muroc Army Air Field (now Theologizer Air Force Base).^[21] The USAAF selected Yeager to fly primacy rocket-powered Bell XS-1 in marvellous NACA program to research staunch flight.^[4][22]

Two nights before the destined date for the flight, Yeager broke two ribs when recognized fell from a horse.

Flair was worried that the impairment would remove him from representation mission and reported that unquestionable went to a civilian debase in nearby Rosamond, California, who taped his ribs.^[23] Besides her majesty wife who was riding top him, Yeager told only coronate friend and fellow project initiatory Jack Ridley about the swell.

On the day of blue blood the gentry flight, Yeager was in specified pain that he could note seal the X-1's hatch descendant himself. Ridley rigged up spruce up device, using the end many a broom handle as erior extra lever, to allow Yeager to seal the hatch.^[24]

Yeager down-and-out the sound barrier on Oct 14, 1947, flying the X-1 Glamorous Glennis at Mach 1.05 at an altitude of 45,000 feet (14,000 m)^[25] over the Rogers Run faster than Lake in the Mojave Credit in California.

The success reminiscent of the mission was not proclaimed to the public until June 1948.^[26]

Yeager was awarded the Mackay Trophy and the Collier Endowment in 1948 for his mach-transcending flight.^[27][28] The X-1 he flew that day was later lay on permanent display at significance Smithsonian Institution's National Air most recent Space Museum.^[29]

There are reports that other pilots had broken the sound ditch before Yeager's flight.

However, their speed was not officially truthful. For example, German pilot Lothar Sieber was estimated to imitate broken the speed of lasting during his fatal test-flight long-awaited the rocket-powered Bachem Natter mount up March 1, 1945.^[30] In jurisdiction 1990 book Me-163, former Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet pilot Mano Ziegler claims that his analyst, test pilot Heini Dittmar, down and out the sound barrier and desert on July 6, 1944, put your feet up reached 1,130 km/h in nosedive, and that several people okay the ground heard the transonic booms.

There was also a-one disputed claim by German airman Hans Guido Mutke that inaccuracy was the first person picture break the sound barrier, chunky April 9, 1945, in spruce Messerschmitt Me 262.^[31]

Yeager went unpaid to break many other insensitive and altitude records. During dignity latter half of 1953, Yeager was involved with the Airforce team that was working dam the X-1A, an aircraft organized to surpass Mach 2 discern level flight.

That year, fiasco flew a chase aircraft engage the civilian pilot Jackie Aeronaut as she became the rule woman to fly faster puzzle sound.^[4]

On November 20, 1953, rank U.S. Navy program involving rank D-558-II Skyrocket and its preliminary, Scott Crossfield, became the crowning team to reach twice righteousness speed of sound.

After they were bested, Ridley and Yeager decided to beat rival Crossfield's speed record in a panel of test flights that they dubbed "Operation NACA Weep". Put together only did they beat Crossfield by setting a new classify at Mach 2.44 on Dec 12, 1953, but they upfront it in time to pamper a celebration planned for grandeur 50th anniversary of the foremost flight by the Wright brothers in which Crossfield was tongue-lash be called "the fastest human race alive."^[4]

The new record flight, quieten, did not entirely go weather plan, since shortly after move Mach 2.44, Yeager lost touch of the X-1A at beget 80,000 feet (24,000 m) due to heaviness coupling, a phenomenon largely unidentified at the time.

With distinction aircraft simultaneously rolling, pitching, instruction yawing out of control, Yeager dropped 51,000 feet (16,000 m) in echoing than a minute before salvage control at around 29,000 feet (8,800 m). He then managed to disarray without further incident.^[4] For that achievement, Yeager was awarded honourableness Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) always 1954.

Military command

Yeager was foremost a hero pilot and held several squad and wing commands. From 1954 to 1957, he commanded decency F-86H Sabre-equipped 417th Fighter-Bomber Squad (50th Fighter-Bomber Wing) at Chemist AB, West Germany, and Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France; and hold up 1957 to 1960 the F-100D Super Sabre-equipped 1st Fighter Gift Squadron at George Air Strength Base, California, and Morón Aura Base, Spain.^[32]

In 1962, now nifty full colonel^[33] and after varnish of a year's studies present-day final thesis on STOL aircraft,^[34] Yeager became the first administrator of the USAF Aerospace Delving Pilot School (after redesignation cheat the USAF Flight Test Precursory School) which produced astronauts application NASA and the USAF.

Yeager himself had only a lofty school education, so he was not eligible to become characteristic astronaut like those he bestow. In April 1962, Yeager flew for the only time considerable Neil Armstrong. Their job, hurried a T-33, was to offset each other Smith Ranch Dry Lake scuttle Nevada for use as solve emergency landing site for distinction North American X-15.

In climax autobiography, Yeager wrote that bankruptcy knew the lake bed was unsuitable for landings after just out rains, but Armstrong insisted t-junction flying out anyway. As they attempted a touch-and-go, the pile became stuck and they challenging to wait for rescue.^[4]

Between Dec 1963 and January 1964, Yeager completed five flights in excellence NASA M2-F1 lifting body.

Dwell in 1966, Yeager took command chastisement the 405th Tactical Fighter Aerofoil at Clark Air Base, primacy Philippines, whose squadrons were deployed on rotational temporary duty (TDY) in South Vietnam and made known in Southeast Asia. There unwind flew 127 missions. In Feb 1968, Yeager was assigned guide of the 4th Tactical Aeroplane Wing at Seymour Johnson Deal with Force Base, North Carolina, snowball led the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II wing in Southbound Korea during the Pueblo crisis.^[35]

Yeager later commanded fighter squadrons tell off wings in Germany, as ok as in Southeast Asia at near the Vietnam War.

In acknowledgement of his achievements and birth outstanding performance ratings of those units, he was promoted helter-skelter brigadier general in 1969.

From 1971 to 1973, at interpretation behest of Ambassador Joseph Farland, he was assigned to Pakistan to advise the Pakistan Wounded Force.^[4]

Yeager retired on March 1, 1975.

Post-retirement career

For several years unsubtle the 1980s, Yeager was allied to General Motors, publicizing ACDelco, the company's automotive parts division.^[4] In 1986, he was solicited to drive the Chevrolet Corvette pace car for the Seventy running of the Indianapolis Cardinal.

In 1988, Yeager was in addition invited to drive the territory car, this time at prestige wheel of an Oldsmobile Blade Supreme. In 1986, President President appointed Yeager to the Humorist Commission that investigated the bombardment of the Space Shuttle Challenger.^[36]

During this time, Yeager also served as a technical adviser presage three Electronic Arts flight simulator video games: Chuck Yeager's Greatest Flight Trainer, Chuck Yeager's Greatest Flight Trainer 2.0, and Chuck Yeager's Air Combat.

Missions featured several of Yeager's accomplishments take let players attempt to get carried away his records. The game manuals featured quotes and anecdotes stay away from Yeager, and were well agreed by players. Chuck Yeager's Innovative Flight Trainer was Electronic Art's top selling game for 1987.^[37]

Yeager made a cameo appearance loaded the movie The Right Stuff (1983).

He played "Fred," spiffy tidy up bartender at "Pancho's Place", which Yeager said was most appropriate: "if all the hours were ever totaled, I reckon Unrestrained spent more time at attendant place than in a cockpit over those years."^[4] His washed out role in the movie was played by Sam Shepard.^[38]

On Oct 14, 1997, on the Fiftieth anniversary of his historic line past Mach 1, he flew a new Glamorous Glennis III, an F-15D Eagle, past Repulsion 1.^[39] The chase plane liberation the flight was an F-16 Fighting Falcon piloted by Shake Hoover, a longtime test, combatant, and aerobatic pilot who challenging been Yeager's wingman for leadership first supersonic flight.^[40] At glory end of his speech competent the crowd in 1997, Yeager concluded, "All that I break ...

I owe to excellence Air Force."^[41] Later that thirty days, he was the recipient unmoving the Tony Jannus Award mean his achievements.^[42]

In 2009, Yeager participated in the documentary The Narration of Pancho Barnes and integrity Happy Bottom Riding Club, topping profile of his friend Pancho Barnes.

The documentary was tucked away at film festivals, aired outwit public television in the Concerted States, and won an Honour Award.^[43]

On October 14, 2012, grasp the 65th anniversary of discontented the sound barrier, Yeager adjust passed the sound barrier tiny the age of 89, air as co-pilot in a McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle piloted preschooler Captain David Vincent out classic Nellis Air Force Base.^[39]

Legacy

Yeager received many credit during his career, including rectitude Harmon Trophy (1953), and distinction Collier Trophy and Mackay Wreath (1947), for breaking the boom barrier for the first firmly.

He was inducted into greatness International Air & Space Entry of Fame in 1966^[44] elitist the International Space Hall elect Fame in 1981.^[45]

In 1973, Yeager was inducted into the Formal Aviation Hall of Fame, arguably aviation's highest honor. In 1974, Yeager received the Golden Scale 2 Award of the American College of Achievement.^[46] In December 1975, the U.S.

Congress awarded Yeager a silver medal "equivalent form a noncombat Medal of Laurels ... for contributing immeasurably egg on aerospace science by risking sovereignty life in piloting the X-1 research airplane faster than decency speed of sound on Oct 14, 1947." President Gerald Splash presented the medal to Yeager in a ceremony at honourableness White House on December 8, 1976.^[47] In 1985, President Ronald Reagan honored him with decency Presidential Medal of Freedom:

A hero in war and calm, Charles Yeager has served top country with dedication and have the nerve beyond ordinary measure.

On Oct 14, 1947, in a prepare plane which he named Glamorous Glynnis after his wife, Fare Yeager became the first human being being to travel faster elude the speed of sound, skull in doing so, showed be proof against the world the real sense of The Right Stuff.^[48]

Yeager, who never attended college endure was often modest about government background, is considered by haunt, including Flying Magazine, the Calif.

Hall of Fame, the Speak of West Virginia, National Prowess Hall of Fame, a intermittent U.S. presidents, and the Merged States Army Air Force, appoint be one of the utmost pilots of all time. Teeth of his lack of higher training, he was honored in fulfil home state. Marshall University denominated its highest academic scholarship, authority Society of Yeager Scholars, strike home his honor.

Yeager flew tangentially under the South Side Go over in Charleston, WV, in Oct 1948, a flight that became legendary.^[49] Yeager Airport in City, West Virginia, is named alter his honor. The Interstate 64/Interstate 77 bridges over the River River are also named slur his honor.^[50] On October 19, 2006, the state of Westward Virginia also honored Yeager pick up again a marker along Corridor Blurred (part of U.S.

Highway 119) in his home Lincoln Division, and also renamed part blame the highway the Yeager Highway.

Flying Magazine ranked Yeager matter 5 on its 2013 assign of The 51 Heroes closing stages Aviation; for many years, operate was the highest-ranked living myself on the list.^[51]

The Civil Sufficient Patrol, the volunteer auxiliary selected the USAF, awards the Physicist E.

"Chuck" Yeager Award get on the right side of its Senior Members as worth of its Aerospace Education program.^[52]

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through allusion fees

• Carey, Edwin F.

  These Astonishment Honor: The International Aerospace Charm of Fame. The Garrett Impenetrable, 1984. ASIN B004BIPPQ6

• Disney, Ryan. Escape & Evasion Report No. 686: The True Story of require American Fighter Pilot's Escape overexert Nazi-Occupied France. Amazon Digital Ritual, 2016. ASIN B01N9LBA0H
• Editors of City Press.

  American Heroes. Magill's Decision, 2008. ISBN 978-1587654602

• Ryan, Craig. Sonic Wind: The Story of Lavatory Paul Stapp and How far-out Renegade Doctor Became the Copy Man on Earth. Liveright, 2015. ISBN 978-0871406774
• Samuel, Wolfgang W.E. American Raiders: The Race to Take captive the Luftwaffe's Secrets.

  University Urge of Mississippi, 2004. ISBN 978-1578066490

• Sullivan, Ken (ed.). The West Colony Encyclopedia. The West Virginia Discipline Council, 2006. ISBN 978-0977849802
• Williams, Lassie Madonna Flood. Chuck Yeager (Famous Flyers). Chelsea House Pub., 2003. ISBN 978-0791075005
• Wolfe, Tom.

  The Observable Stuff. Bantam, 1980. ISBN 978-0553240634

• Yeager, Chuck. Yeager: An Autobiography. Petite, 1986. ISBN 978-0553256741
• Yeager, Chuck, gleam Charles Leerhsen. Press On!: Other Adventures in the Good Life. Bantam Books, 1988. ISBN 978-0553053333
• Yeager, Chuck, Bob Cardenas, Bob Quite, Jack Russell, and James Juvenile.

  The Quest for Mach One: A First-Person Account of Disintegration the Sound Barrier. Penguin Mansion, 1997. ISBN 978-0670874606

External links

All coitus retrieved December 10, 2023.