EntityQ271939· pop 57· linked from 394 articles

Chuck Yeager

American World War II flying ace and test pilot; first pilot to fly faster than sound (1923–2020)

AI overview

Chuck Yeager was an American pilot who became famous for breaking the sound barrier in 1947, becoming the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound. He was also a decorated World War II fighter pilot and spent much of his career as a test pilot, making him an important figure in aviation history.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Person · Open Library

Born: 1923
Died: 2020-12-07
Works: 15

Top works

Yeger
Press On!
Yeager
The X-planes
The quest for mach one

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Film & TV

Acting · Myra, West Virginia, USA

Retired Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager (February 13, 1923 - December 7, 2020) was a former United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot. In 1947, he became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight. Yeager shot down at least 11 enemy aircraft, mostly flying a P-51 Mustang, on the Western Front during WWII. After…

Known for

The Real Men with 'The Right Stuff' — Self2003
Air & Space Smithsonian: Dreams of Flight - Higher Faster Farther — Self1995
Looney Tunes 50th Anniversary — Self1986
Spaceflight1985
The Right Stuff — Fred1983
This Is Your Life — Self

Article

Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager (/ˈjeɪɡər/ YAY-gər, February 13, 1923 – December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in October 1947 became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight.

Yeager was raised in Hamlin, West Virginia. His career began in World War II as a private in the United States Army, assigned to the Army Air Forces in 1941. After serving as an aircraft mechanic, in September 1942, he entered enlisted pilot training and upon graduation was promoted to the rank of flight officer (the World War II Army Air Force version of the Army's warrant officer), later achieving most of his aerial victories as a P-51 Mustang fighter pilot on the Western Front, where he was credited with shooting down 11.5 enemy aircraft. The half credit is from a second pilot assisting him in a single shootdown. On October 12, 1944, he attained "ace in a day" status, shooting down five enemy aircraft in one mission.