1923-

American Pilot

Adecorated World War II fighter pilot, Charles E. ("Chuck") Yeager returned from service in Europe to become one of the leading test pilots of the jet age. He pioneered the testing of high-performance jet- and rocket-powered aircraft, setting numerous speed and distance records in the process. He is best known for becoming, in 1947, the first pilot to fly faster than sound.

Born in Myra, West Virginia, on February 13, 1923, Yeager enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps after graduating from high school in 1941. Originally trained as a mechanic, he began pilot training in 1942 as part of the "Flying Sergeants" program. Posted to England in November 1943, he flew a total of 64 combat missions in P-51 Mustang fighters and shot down 13 enemy aircraft—five of them in a single day.

Yeager became involved in flight testing soon after the end of the war...