In the United States Armed Forces , a brigadier general is a one-star general officer in the United States Army , Marine Corps , Air Force , and Space Force .
80-582: Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager ( / ˈ j eɪ ɡ ər / 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
160-475: A Messerschmitt Bf 109 , the pilot of the aircraft panicked, breaking to port and colliding with his wingman. Yeager said both pilots bailed out. He finished the war with 11.5 official victories, including one of the first air-to-air victories over a jet fighter, a German Messerschmitt Me 262 that he shot down as it was on final approach for landing. In his 1986 memoirs, Yeager recalled with disgust that "atrocities were committed by both sides", and said he went on
240-551: A T-33 , was to evaluate Smith Ranch Dry Lake in Nevada for use as an emergency landing site for the North American X-15 . In his autobiography, he wrote that he knew the lake bed was unsuitable for landings after recent rains, but Armstrong insisted on flying out anyway. As Armstrong suggested that they do a touch-and-go , Yeager advised against it, telling him "You may touch, but you ain't gonna go!" When Armstrong did touch down,
320-688: 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
400-483: A brigadier general is one silver star worn on the shoulder or collar, and has not changed since the creation of the rank two centuries ago. Since the Mexican–American War , however, the lower rank of colonel has been the normal rank appointed to command a brigade that is organic to a division ( e.g. , the 1st Brigade of the 94th Infantry Division , vice the 187th Infantry Brigade ). While separate brigades (e.g.
480-675: A candidate eligible to enlist in the Organized Reserve and for attendance at the White Course. The White Course consisted of intermediate military training (small unit tactics, marksmanship, basic aspects of the arm or service of the camp). Completion of this course made a candidate eligible for promotion to non-commissioned officer rank in the Organized Reserve and for attendance at the Blue Course. The Blue Course consisted of advanced military training (leadership, officership, advanced aspects of
560-661: A ceremony at the White House on December 8, 1976. Yeager never attended college and was often modest about his background, but is considered by many, including Flying Magazine , the California Hall of Fame, the State of West Virginia, National Aviation Hall of Fame, a few U.S. presidents, and the United States Army Air Force, to be one of the greatest pilots of all time. Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine ranked him
640-480: A commission as a second lieutenant in the Organized Reserve. At their peak in 1928 and 1929, about 40,000 men received training annually, but the camps were considered disappointing in achieving stated goals, especially in the commissioning of Organized Reserve officers; only 5,000 such commissions were awarded over the 20-year history of the CMTC. No records appear to have survived that document total participation, but it
720-540: A consultant pilot for the United States Air Force. Yeager was born February 13, 1923, in Myra, West Virginia , to farming parents Albert Hal Yeager (1896–1963) and Susie Mae Yeager ( née Sizemore ; 1898–1987). When he was five years old, his family moved to Hamlin, West Virginia . Yeager had two brothers, Roy and Hal Jr., and two sisters, Doris Ann (accidentally killed at age two by four-year-old Roy playing with
800-516: A fighter pilot and held several squadron and wing commands. From 1954 to 1957, he commanded the F-86H Sabre -equipped 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (50th Fighter-Bomber Wing) at Hahn AB , West Germany , and Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France ; and from 1957 to 1960 the F-100D Super Sabre -equipped 1st Fighter Day Squadron at George Air Force Base , California, and Morón Air Base , Spain . He
880-674: A firearm) and Pansy Lee. He attended Hamlin High School, where he played basketball and football , receiving his best grades in geometry and typing . He graduated from high school in June 1941. His first experience with the military was as a teen at the Citizens Military Training Camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison , Indianapolis , Indiana, during the summers of 1939 and 1940. On February 26, 1945, Yeager married Glennis Dickhouse, and
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#1732837885980960-605: A functional test pilot of repaired aircraft, which brought him under the command of Colonel Albert Boyd , head of the Aeronautical Systems Flight Test Division. Yeager remained in the U.S. Army Air Forces after the war, becoming a test pilot at Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base ), following graduation from Air Materiel Command Flight Performance School (Class 46C). After Bell Aircraft test pilot Chalmers "Slick" Goodlin demanded US$ 150,000 (equivalent to $ 2,050,000 in 2023) to break
1040-410: A general order was issued on July 14, 1775, establishing that brigadier generals would wear a ribbon, worn across the breast, between coat and waistcoat, pink in color. Later, on June 18, 1780, it was prescribed that brigadier generals would instead wear a single silver star on each epaulette . At first, brigadier generals were infantry officers who commanded a brigade ; however, over the course of
1120-500: A group of influential Americans who supported the Allies of World War I . Before the U.S. entered into World War I , private citizens organized what were known as the "Plattsburgh camps", a volunteer pre-enlistment training program. The camps were set up and funded privately. The group recognized that the standing U.S. Army was far too small to help the Allies and would have to expand immensely if
1200-637: A keen interest in interacting with PAF personnel from various Pakistani Squadrons and helping them develop combat tactics . In one instance in 1972, while visiting the No. 15 Squadron "Cobras" at Peshawar Airbase , the Squadron's OC Wing Commander Najeeb Khan escorted him to K2 in a pair of F-86Fs after Yeager requested a visit to the second highest mountain on Earth. After hostilities broke out in 1971 , he decided to stay in West Pakistan and continued overseeing
1280-599: A mission with orders from the Eighth Air Force to " strafe anything that moved ". During the mission briefing, he whispered to Major Donald H. Bochkay , "If we are going to do things like this, we sure as hell better make sure we are on the winning side". Yeager said, "I'm certainly not proud of that particular strafing mission against civilians. But it is there, on the record and in my memory". He also expressed bitterness at his treatment in England during World War II, describing
1360-471: A monthly magazine, National Service . (In 1922, the magazine was acquired by and folded into The American Army and Navy Journal, and Gazette of the Regular, National Guard and Reserve Forces .) The program was divided into three four-week courses designated “Red,” “White.” and “Blue.” The Red Course consisted of preliminary and practical military training (school of the soldier). Completion of this course made
1440-461: A new Glamorous Glennis III , an F-15D Eagle , past Mach 1. The chase plane for the flight was an F-16 Fighting Falcon piloted by Bob Hoover , a longtime test, fighter, and aerobatic pilot who had been Yeager's wingman for the first supersonic flight. At the end of his speech to the crowd in 1997, Yeager concluded, "All that I am ... I owe to the Air Force". Later that month, he was the recipient of
1520-450: A new record at Mach 2.44 on December 12, 1953, but they did it in time to spoil a celebration planned for the 50th anniversary of flight in which Crossfield was to be called "the fastest man alive". The new record flight, however, did not entirely go to plan, since shortly after reaching Mach 2.44, Yeager lost control of the X-1A at about 80,000 ft (24,000 m) due to inertia coupling ,
1600-415: A one-star billet is two to four years. Other than voluntary retirement, statute sets a number of mandates for retirement. All brigadier generals must retire after five years in grade or 30 years of service, whichever is later, unless selected or appointed for promotion, or reappointed to grade to serve longer. Otherwise, all general and flag officers must retire the month after their 64th birthday. However,
1680-478: A phenomenon largely unknown at the time. With the aircraft simultaneously rolling, pitching, and yawing out of control, Yeager dropped 51,000 ft (16,000 m) in less than a minute before regaining control at around 29,000 ft (8,800 m). He then managed to land without further incident. For this feat, Yeager was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) in 1954. Yeager was foremost
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#17328378859801760-419: Is estimated that 400,000 men had at least one summer of training. Among known participants were Harry S. Truman , Ronald Reagan , Robert Penn Warren , Walter S. McIlhenny , Chuck Yeager , John J. McCloy and William Guarnere . In December 1928, Secretary of War Dwight F. Davis directed that Organized Reserve units (rather than individual Reserve personnel) be used in the actual running of CMTC camps and
1840-538: The Washington Monthly of October 1985: "After Yeager's Beechcraft was destroyed during an Indian air raid, he raged to his cowering colleagues that the Indian pilot had been specifically instructed by Indira Gandhi to blast his plane. 'It was', he later wrote, 'the Indian way of giving Uncle Sam the finger'". Yeager was incensed over the incident and demanded U.S. retaliation. On March 1, 1975, Yeager retired from
1920-658: The 357th Fighter Group at Tonopah, Nevada , he initially trained as a fighter pilot, flying Bell P-39 Airacobras (being grounded for seven days for clipping a farmer's tree during a training flight), and shipped overseas with the group on November 23, 1943. Stationed in the United Kingdom at RAF Leiston , Yeager flew P-51 Mustangs in combat with the 363d Fighter Squadron . He named his aircraft Glamorous Glen after his girlfriend, Glennis Faye Dickhouse, who became his wife in February 1945. Yeager had gained one victory before he
2000-842: The International Air & Space Hall of Fame . He was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1981. He was inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor 1990 inaugural class. Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia , is named in his honor. The Interstate 64 / Interstate 77 bridge over the Kanawha River in Charleston is named in his honor. He also flew directly under the Kanawha Bridge and West Virginia named it
2080-472: The NASA M2-F1 lifting body . An accident during a December 1963 test flight in one of the school's NF-104s resulted in serious injuries. After climbing to a near-record altitude, the plane's controls became ineffective, and it entered a flat spin . After several turns, and an altitude loss of approximately 95,000 feet, Yeager ejected from the plane. During the ejection, the seat straps released normally, but
2160-543: The National Defense Act of 1920 as a compromise that rejected universal military training . In its nearly two decades of operation, the CMTC trained some 400,000 men in at least one season from 1921 to 1940. Overall the program was disappointing, as only 5,000 officer commissions were awarded to men who completed the required four summers of training. Before the United States entered World War I, private citizens of
2240-547: The Preparedness Movement set up what were known as the "Plattsburg camps" to build a reserve of qualified men. These provided at least one summer of training in 1915 and 1916 to some 40,000 men, who were all college graduates and largely drawn from elite social classes. As tensions increased and war broke out in Europe, some Americans concerned about United States participation organized the Preparedness Movement , made up of
2320-544: The Supreme Allied Commander , General Dwight D. Eisenhower , on June 12, 1944. "I raised so much hell that General Eisenhower finally let me go back to my squadron" Yeager said. "He cleared me for combat after D Day , because all the free Frenchmen – Maquis and people like that – had surfaced". Eisenhower, after gaining permission from the War Department to decide the requests, concurred with Yeager and Glover. In
2400-594: The Tony Jannus Award for his achievements. On October 14, 2012, on the 65th anniversary of breaking the sound barrier, Yeager did it again at the age of 89, flying as co-pilot in a McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle piloted by Captain David Vincent out of Nellis Air Force Base . In 1973, Yeager was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame , arguably aviation's highest honor. In 1974, Yeager received
2480-797: The USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School , which trained and produced astronauts for NASA and the Air Force. Yeager later commanded fighter squadrons and wings in Germany, as well as in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War . In recognition of his achievements and the outstanding performance ratings of those units, he was promoted to brigadier general in 1969 and inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1973, retiring on March 1, 1975. His three-war active-duty flying career spanned more than 30 years and took him to many parts of
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2560-674: The United States after the war for analysis. Yeager also flew around in his Beechcraft Queen Air , a small passenger aircraft that was assigned to him by the Pentagon , picking up shot-down Indian fighter pilots. The Beechcraft was later destroyed during an air raid by the IAF at a Pakistani airbase when Yeager was not present. Edward C. Ingraham, a U.S. diplomat who had served as political counselor to Ambassador Farland in Islamabad , recalled this incident in
2640-585: 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. After the war, Yeager became a test pilot and flew many types of aircraft, including experimental rocket-powered aircraft for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Through
2720-491: The 187th, commanded by then-BG William Westmoreland in Korea) were traditionally commanded by brigadier generals, this practice has ceased in recent history. Today, an Army or Marine Corps "BG" or "BGen," respectively, typically serves as deputy commander to the commanding general of a division or division-sized units and assists in overseeing the planning and coordination of a mission. A Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), as
2800-472: The 19th and 20th centuries, the responsibilities of the rank expanded significantly. During the period from March 16, 1802, to January 11, 1812, the rank of major general was abolished and brigadier general became the highest rank in the U.S. Army. Foreseeing the need for an expanded general staff in case of war, which seemed imminent, Congress restored the rank of major general in January 1812. The insignia for
2880-496: The Air Force at Norton Air Force Base , California. Yeager made a cameo appearance in the movie The Right Stuff (1983). He played "Fred", a bartender at "Pancho's Place" , which was most appropriate, because he said, "if all the hours were ever totaled, I reckon I spent more time at her place than in a cockpit over those years". Sam Shepard portrayed Yeager in the film, which chronicles in part his famous 1947 record-breaking flight. Yeager has been referenced several times in
2960-630: The British as "arrogant" and "nasty" on Twitter. Yeager was commissioned a second lieutenant while at Leiston , and was promoted to captain before the end of his tour. He flew his 61st and final mission on January 15, 1945, and returned to the United States in early February 1945. As an evader, he received his choice of assignments and, because his new wife was pregnant, chose Wright Field to be near his home in West Virginia . His high number of flight hours and maintenance experience qualified him to become
3040-714: The Chuck E. Yeager Bridge. On October 19, 2006, the state of West Virginia also honored Yeager with a marker along Corridor G (part of U.S. Highway 119 ) in his home Lincoln County , and also renamed part of it the Yeager Highway . Yeager was an honorary board member of the humanitarian organization Wings of Hope . On August 25, 2009, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver announced that Yeager would be one of 13 California Hall of Fame inductees in The California Museum 's yearlong exhibit. The induction ceremony
3120-564: The Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement . In December 1975, the U.S. Congress awarded Yeager a silver medal "equivalent to a noncombat Medal of Honor ... for contributing immeasurably to aerospace science by risking his life in piloting the X-1 research airplane faster than the speed of sound on October 14, 1947". President Gerald Ford presented the medal to Yeager in
3200-641: The Moon , the filmmakers made the claim that Yeager instructed staff and participants at the school that "Washington is trying to cram the nigger down our throats. [President] Kennedy is using this to make 'racial equality,' so do not speak to him, do not socialize with him, do not drink with him, do not invite him over to your house, and in six months he'll be gone." In his autobiography, Dwight details how Yeager's leadership led to discriminatory treatment throughout his training at Edwards Air Force Base. Between December 1963 and January 1964, Yeager completed five flights in
3280-503: The NACA program, he became the first human to officially break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947, when he flew the experimental Bell X-1 at Mach 1 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 in the following years. In 1962, he became the first commandant of
Chuck Yeager - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-580: The PAF's operations. Yeager recalled "the Pakistanis whipped the Indians' asses in the sky... the Pakistanis scored a three-to-one kill ratio, knocking out 102 Russian-made Indian jets and losing 34 airplanes of their own". During the war, he flew around the western front in a helicopter documenting wreckages of Indian aircraft of Soviet origin which included Sukhoi Su-7s and MiG-21s . These aircraft were transported to
3440-532: The Plattsburgh camp and other sites. They became physically fit, learned to march and shoot, and provided the cadre of a wartime officer corps. Enlistees were required to pay their own expenses. Suggestions by labor unions that talented working-class youth be invited to Plattsburgh were ignored. These camps were formalized under the Military Training Camps Association , which in 1917 launched
3520-489: The President nominates an officer for appointment to fill that position. For all five uniformed services, because the grade of brigadier general is a permanent rank, the nominee may still be screened by an in-service promotion board. The rank does not expire when the officer vacates a one-star position. Tour length varies depending on the position, by statute, or when the officer receives a new assignment. The average tour length of
3600-478: The Secretary of Defense can defer a general or flag officer's retirement until the officer's 66th birthday and the President can defer it until the officer's 68th birthday. Because there are a finite number of General officer positions, one officer must retire before another can be promoted. As a result, General and flag officers typically retire well in advance of the statutory age and service limits, so as not to impede
3680-498: The U.S. went to war. The Movement established the camps to train additional potential Army officers during the summers of 1915 and 1916. The largest and best known camp was near Plattsburgh, New York under the command of Captain Halstead Dorey . Trainees included Grenville Clark , Willard Straight , Robert Bacon , Mayor John Purroy Mitchel , and Bishop James De Wolf Perry . Some 40,000 men (all college graduates) attended
3760-411: The United States (Army Air Forces) Army of the United States (Army Air Forces) Army of the United States (Army Air Forces) Army of the United States (Army Air Forces) Brigadier general (United States) A brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below a major general . The pay grade of brigadier general is O-7. It is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral (lower half) in
3840-628: The X-1's hatch by himself. Ridley rigged up a device, using the end of a broom handle as an extra lever, to allow Yeager to seal the hatch. Yeager broke the sound barrier on October 14, 1947, in level flight while piloting the X-1 Glamorous Glennis at Mach 1.05 at an altitude of 45,000 ft (13,700 m) over the Rogers Dry Lake of the Mojave Desert in California. The success of
3920-544: The advice of the Secretary of Defense, the service secretary, and if applicable, the service's chief of staff or commandant. The President may nominate any eligible officer who is not on the recommended list if it serves in the interest of the nation, but this is uncommon. The Senate must then confirm the nominee before the officer can be promoted. Once the nominee is confirmed, they are promoted to that rank once they assume or hold an office that requires or allows an officer of that rank. For positions of office reserved by statute,
4000-424: The arm or service of the camp). Completion of this course made a candidate eligible for commissioning as a second lieutenant in the arm or service in which he was qualified at the three camps. Ideally, a CMTC candidate attended one of these courses each summer over a three-year period. Upon conclusion of the third course, and after the candidate had taken the required pre- commissioning examinations, he would be offered
4080-560: The conduct of training for CMTC cadets. These camps gave Organized Reserve and "Regular Army Inactive" (RAI) units that were staffed with Reserve personnel one of their few chances to operate like fully functional organizations. Unlike Regular Army or National Guard units, Organized Reserve and RAI units possessed few enlisted men and were essentially officer cadres. Therefore, the Citizens Military Training Camps provided superb opportunities for these units' officers to conduct
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#17328378859804160-456: The couple had four children. Glennis Yeager died in 1990, predeceasing her husband by 30 years. His cousin, Steve Yeager , was a professional baseball catcher . Yeager enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) on September 12, 1941, and became an aircraft mechanic at George Air Force Base , Victorville, California . At enlistment, Yeager was not eligible for flight training because of his age and educational background, but
4240-548: The entry of the U.S. into World War II less than three months later prompted the USAAF to alter its recruiting standards. Yeager had unusually sharp vision (a visual acuity rated 20/10), which once enabled him to shoot a deer at 600 yd (550 m). At the time of his flight training acceptance, he was a crew chief on an AT-11 . He received his pilot wings and a promotion to flight officer at Luke Field , Arizona , where he graduated from Class 43C on March 10, 1943. Assigned to
4320-453: The fifth greatest pilot of all time in 2003. Regardless of his lack of higher education, West Virginia's Marshall University named its highest academic scholarship the Society of Yeager Scholars in his honor. He was the chairman of Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)'s Young Eagle Program from 1994 to 2004, and was named the program's chairman emeritus. In 1966, Yeager was inducted into
4400-479: The first woman to fly faster than sound. On November 20, 1953, the U.S. Navy program involving the D-558-II Skyrocket and its pilot, Scott Crossfield , became the first team to reach twice the speed of sound. After they were bested, Ridley and Yeager decided to beat rival Crossfield's speed record in a series of test flights that they dubbed "Operation NACA Weep". Not only did they beat Crossfield by setting
4480-578: The lead character, Captain Jonathan Archer , as being "halfway between Chuck Yeager and Han Solo ". For several years in the 1980s, Yeager was connected to General Motors , publicizing ACDelco , the company's automotive parts division. In 1986, he was invited to drive the Chevrolet Corvette pace car for the 70th running of the Indianapolis 500 . In 1988 , Yeager was again invited to drive
4560-431: The meantime, Yeager shot down his second enemy aircraft, a German Junkers Ju 88 bomber, over the English Channel . Yeager demonstrated outstanding flying skills and combat leadership. On October 12, 1944, he became the first pilot in his group to make " ace in a day ," downing five enemy aircraft in a single mission. Two of these victories were scored without firing a single shot: when he flew into firing position against
4640-412: The medium capability (and sized) scalable Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with up to 20,000 Marines, is normally commanded by a Marine BGen. An Air Force brigadier general typically commands a large wing or serves as the deputy commander for a NAF . Additionally, one-star officers of all services may serve as high-level staff officers in large military organizations. U.S. law explicitly limits
4720-467: The military training provided by the Reservists and their Regular Army counterparts, introduced hundreds of thousands of young men to military discipline, order, and training. Many of these men would later serve in World War II as volunteers, draftees, and, for a substantial number, as officers. In at least these two ways, the CMTC was partially responsible for the U.S. Army's ability to rapidly mobilize for, and fight in, World War II. Camp Edwin F. Glenn ,
4800-496: The mission was not announced to the public for nearly eight months, until June 10, 1948. Yeager was awarded the Mackay Trophy and the Collier Trophy in 1948 for his mach-transcending flight, and the Harmon International Trophy in 1954. The X-1 he flew that day was later put on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution 's National Air and Space Museum . During 1952, he attended the Air Command and Staff College . Yeager continued to break many speed and altitude records. He
4880-469: The other United States uniformed services which use naval ranks . It is abbreviated as BG in the Army, BGen in the Marine Corps, and Brig Gen in the Air Force and Space Force. The Civil Air Patrol also uses this grade for its National Vice Commander and some past National commanders. The rank of brigadier general has existed in the U.S. military since the inception of the Continental Army in June 1775. To prevent mistakes in recognizing officers,
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#17328378859804960-699: The pace car, this time at the wheel of an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme . In 1986, President Reagan appointed Yeager to the Rogers Commission that investigated the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger . During this time, Yeager also served as a technical adviser for three Electronic Arts flight simulator video games. The games include Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer , Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer 2.0 , and Chuck Yeager's Air Combat . The game manuals feature quotes and anecdotes from Yeager and were well received by players. Missions feature several of Yeager's accomplishments and let players challenge his records. Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer
5040-502: The permanent grade of brigadier general, eligible officers are screened by a promotion board consisting of general officers from their branch of service. This promotion board then generates a list of officers it recommends for promotion to general rank. This list is then sent to the service secretary and the Joint Chiefs for review before it can be sent to the President , through the Secretary of Defense , for consideration. The President nominates officers to be promoted from this list with
5120-431: The scheduled flight date, Yeager broke two ribs when he fell from a horse. He was worried that the injury would remove him from the mission and reported that he went to a civilian doctor in nearby Rosamond , who taped his ribs. Besides his wife who was riding with him, Yeager told only his friend and fellow project pilot Jack Ridley about the accident. On the day of the flight, Yeager was in such pain that he could not seal
5200-580: The seat base slammed into Yeager, with the still-hot rocket motor breaking his helmet's plastic faceplate and causing his emergency oxygen supply to catch fire. The resulting burns to his face required extensive and agonizing medical care. This was Yeager's last attempt at setting test-flying records. In 1966, Yeager took command of the 405th Tactical Fighter Wing at Clark Air Base , the Philippines , whose squadrons were deployed on rotational temporary duty (TDY) in South Vietnam and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. There he flew 127 missions. In February 1968, Yeager
5280-464: The shared Star Trek universe, including having a namesake fictional type of starship, a dangerous starship formation -maneuver named after him called the "Yeager Loop" (most notably mentioned in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode " The First Duty "), and appearing in archival footage within the opening title sequence for the series Star Trek: Enterprise (2001–2005). For Enterprise , executive producer Rick Berman said that he envisaged
5360-417: The sound "barrier", the USAAF selected the 24-year-old Yeager to fly the rocket-powered Bell XS-1 in a NACA program to research high-speed flight. Under the National Security Act of 1947 , the USAAF became the United States Air Force (USAF) on September 18. Such was the difficulty, that the answers to many of the inherent challenges were like "Yeager better have paid-up insurance". Two nights before
5440-427: The total number of general officers who may be on active duty. The total number of active duty general officers is capped at 218 for the Army, 62 for the Marine Corps, 170 for the Air Force, and 21 for the Space Force. The President or Secretary of Defense may increase the number of slots for one branch, so long as they subtract an equal number from another. Some of these slots are reserved by statute. For promotion to
5520-411: The training of organizations and exercise effective command from the squad to regimental level. These camps also gave the units' staffs a chance to wrestle with realistic personnel, training and planning challenges as well. In this way, the CMTC also substantially contributed to preparing tens of thousands of Organized Reserve officers for the leadership demands of military command and staffs. Additionally,
5600-486: The upward career mobility of their juniors. Citizens Military Training Camp Citizens' Military Training Camps (CMTC) were United States government authorized military training programs held annually each summer during the years 1921 to 1940. CMTC camps differed from National Guard and Organized Reserve training in that the program allowed male citizens to obtain basic military training without an obligation to call-up for active duty. The CMTC were authorized by
5680-423: The wheels became stuck in the mud, bringing the plane to a sudden stop and provoking Yeager to fits of laughter. They had to wait for rescue. Yeager's participation in the test pilot training program for NASA included controversial behavior. Yeager reportedly did not believe that Ed Dwight , the first African American pilot admitted into the program, should be a part of it. In the 2019 documentary series Chasing
5760-570: The world, including the Korean War zone and the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War . Yeager is referred to by many as one of the greatest pilots of all time, and was ranked fifth on Flying 's list of the 51 Heroes of Aviation in 2013. Throughout his life, he flew more than 360 different types of aircraft over a 70-year period, and continued to fly for two decades after retirement as
5840-484: Was Electronic Art's top-selling game for 1987. In 2009, Yeager participated in the documentary The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club , a profile of his friend Pancho Barnes . The documentary was screened at film festivals, aired on public television in the United States, and won an Emmy Award . On October 14, 1997, on the 50th anniversary of his historic flight past Mach 1, he flew
5920-688: Was a full colonel in 1962, after completion of a year's studies and final thesis on STOL aircraft at the Air War College . He became the first commandant of the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School , which produced astronauts for NASA and the USAF , after its redesignation from the USAF Flight Test Pilot School. He had only a high school education, so he was not eligible to become an astronaut like those he trained. In April 1962, Yeager made his only flight with Neil Armstrong . Their job, flying
6000-616: Was assigned as the Air Attache in Pakistan to advise the Pakistan Air Force which was led by Abdur Rahim Khan (the first Pakistani to break the sound barrier). He arrived in Pakistan at a time when tensions with India were at a high level. One of Yeager's jobs during this time was to assist Pakistani technicians in installing AIM-9 Sidewinders on PAF's Shenyang F-6 fighters. He also had
6080-696: Was assigned command of the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base , North Carolina , and led the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II wing in South Korea during the Pueblo crisis . Yeager was promoted to brigadier general and was assigned in July 1969 as the vice-commander of the Seventeenth Air Force . From 1971 to 1973, at the behest of Ambassador Joseph Farland , Yeager
6160-583: Was awarded the Bronze Star for helping a navigator, Omar M. "Pat" Patterson Jr., to cross the Pyrenees . Despite a regulation prohibiting "evaders" (escaped pilots) from flying over enemy territory again, the purpose of which was to prevent resistance groups from being compromised by giving the enemy a second chance to possibly capture him, Yeager was reinstated to flying combat. He had joined another evader, fellow P-51 pilot 1st Lt Fred Glover, in speaking directly to
6240-572: Was on December 1, 2009, in Sacramento, California . Flying Magazine ranked Yeager number 5 on its 2013 list of The 51 Heroes of Aviation; for many years, he was the highest-ranked living person on the list. The Civil Air Patrol , the volunteer auxiliary of the USAF , awards the Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager Award to its senior members as part of its Aerospace Education program. Regular Army ( Army Air Corps ) Regular Army ( Army Air Forces ) Army of
6320-494: Was one of the first American pilots to fly a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 , after its pilot, No Kum-sok , defected to South Korea . Returning to Muroc, during the latter half of 1953, Yeager was involved with the USAF team that was working on the X-1A , an aircraft designed to surpass Mach 2 in level flight. That year, he flew a chase aircraft for the civilian pilot Jackie Cochran as she became
6400-541: Was shot down over France in his first aircraft (P-51B-5-NA s/n 43-6763) on March 5, 1944, on his eighth mission. He escaped to Spain on March 30, 1944, with the help of the Maquis (French Resistance) and returned to England on May 15, 1944. During his stay with the Maquis , Yeager assisted the guerrillas in duties that did not involve direct combat; he helped construct bombs for the group, a skill that he had learned from his father. He
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