362. Chuck Yeager: Faster than the Speed of Sound

One of the greatest barriers in existence during infancy of air travel was the speed of . It was considered impossible to build and fly airplane that could exceed this speed, but that before the world was introduced to Chuck Yeager. was already an accomplished fighter pilot in World II, but his greatest achievement was after the when he served as a test pilot for United States Air Force. It was thought impossible fly faster than sound during that period, and one knew if a pilot could survive flying that speed, or how it would affect him he did survive. That did not deter Yeager, .

Yeager was born on February 13, 1923 in , West Virginia. He served during World War II a fighter pilot. He did not start out a pilot, though. Yeager enlisted as a private worked as an aircraft mechanic in the old Air Forces, where Yeager enrolled into a special that trained enlisted men to become pilots. Yeager greatly from having superior eyesight. He was considered natural pilot early in his flight career.

As fighter pilot in the European theater, Yeager was down in France by German fighter planes. He capture, and helped a fellow pilot to safety that pilot had lost his leg in the . Yeager was awarded a medal for his actions. demonstrated exceptional talent as a pilot and once down five enemy fighters in a single day. the war, Yeager began a new career as test pilot, where he flew the experimental aircraft X-1 into aviation history.

On October 14, 1947, flew his X-1 faster than the speed of . He became the first human being to fly than sound, and he went on to break records during his 60-year flight history. Yeager retired the army with the rank of Brigadier General, has won many honors for his contributions to .