Charles Elwood Yeager (born February 13, 1923) is a former United States Air Force officer, flying ace and record-setting test pilot….who became the first pilot confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight in 1947….as seen in this actual footage of that historic flight.
Yeager’s career began in World War II as a private in the United States Army Air Forces….when after serving as an aircraft mechanic….he entered enlisted pilot training and upon graduation was promoted to the rank of flight officer….which was the World War II USAAF equivalent to warrant officer….and became a P-51 fighter pilot in 1942.
After the war, Yeager became a test pilot of many types of aircraft….including experimental rocket-powered aircraft. As the first human to officially break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947….he flew the experimental Bell X-1 at Mach1 at an altitude of 45,000 ft (13,700 m)….for which he won both the Collier and Mackay trophies in 1948. He then went on to break several other speed and altitude records.
Yeager later commanded fighter squadrons and wings in Germany….and in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War….and in recognition of the outstanding performance ratings of those units he was promoted to brigadier general. Yeager’s flying career spans more than 60 years and has taken him to many parts of the world, including the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War.
Since Bone Daddy, the original Sportsphile, had a father who flew the PBY during World War II….and continued to fly until his retirement 1999….when he was flying the Grumman Gulfstream III….which meant that Bone Daddy grew up in a “flyer’s family”… so, his family followed the exploits and achievements of Chuck Yeagar….a flying hero to dang near all pilots from that era….so, this video of his greatest achievement is like “pure gold” in our treasure chest of memories here at ImaSportsphile.
