Traveling at supersonic speeds may seem like a trivial matter today, but before 1947, it was an unattainable feat.
For the first time, humans on Earth heard the sonic boom created by a supersonic flight on October 14, 1947. This was achieved by the Bell X-1 experimental aircraft, piloted by 24-year-old American pilot Chuck Yeager, who became the first pilot to officially break the sound barrier.
Pilot Chuck Yeager.
Chuck Yeager was born on February 13, 1923, in Myra, West Virginia, and grew up in the nearby village of Hamlin. After graduating from high school in 1941, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) as a private.
Initially, Yeager was denied flight training due to his age and limited education, so he became an aircraft mechanic at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. Less than three months after he enlisted, the United States entered World War II. This prompted the USAAF to suddenly change its recruitment standards, allowing Yeager to meet all the new criteria and enabling him to qualify for flight training.
From the outset, Yeager demonstrated innate talent as a pilot.
He had unusually sharp vision—rated at 20/10—and was able to shoot a deer from 550 yards. Yeager graduated from flight training on March 10, 1943, and was promoted to flight officer. Initially, he was assigned to the 357th Fighter Group in Tonopah, Nevada, where he flew the Bell P-39 Airacobra while training as a fighter pilot.
After completing his training, Yeager was sent to the United Kingdom on November 23, 1943. He was stationed at RAF Leiston and achieved certain accomplishments, but during his eighth mission on March 5, 1944, his aircraft was shot down over France.
In France, he was aided by a rural resistance group (Maquis) of French and Belgian resistance fighters. While with them, Yeager taught the resistance group how to make bombs. In return, they helped Yeager escape to Spain by crossing the Pyrenees. During the crossing, Yeager encountered “Pat” Patterson, a B-24 navigator also in hiding, who had suffered a severe knee injury. Yeager assisted him by amputating the injured leg and bandaging him with a spare shirt. Yeager was later awarded the Bronze Star for his assistance to Patterson.
Upon returning to combat duty, Yeager displayed excellent flying skills.
Shortly after returning to the United States, Yeager wanted to continue combat missions, but his request was denied. Therefore, Yeager, along with Lieutenant Fred Glover (who was in a similar situation), filed a direct complaint to Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Ultimately, their efforts paid off, and Yeager was allowed to conduct combat missions once again.
Upon returning to combat, Yeager showcased outstanding flying skills and combat leadership. He was the first pilot in his squadron to become an “ace in a day”—a term used for a pilot who shoots down five or more enemy aircraft in a single day.
By the end of World War II, he had shot down 13 German planes and completed a total of 64 combat missions.
Yeager was selected to test-fly a secret experimental aircraft developed by the Bell Aircraft Company.
After returning to the United States, Yeager married Glennis Dickhouse on February 26, 1945. When the war ended, Yeager graduated from the Air Force Command Pilot School, becoming a test pilot and flight instructor at Muroc Army Airfield. Here, he was selected to test-fly a secret experimental aircraft developed by the Bell Aircraft Company—the Bell X-1 (designed to test the capabilities of pilots and aircraft under severe aerodynamic stress when flying at supersonic speeds). Yeager later named this aircraft “Glamourous Glennis” in honor of his wife.
Two days before the scheduled test flight, Yeager fell off a horse and broke two ribs. Fearing that reporting his injury would disqualify him from the mission, he only disclosed it to his wife and a fellow project pilot, Jack Ridley.
He then sought temporary first aid from a local civilian doctor. On flight day, Yeager’s injury caused him so much pain that he could not close the aircraft’s hatch by himself. To assist Yeager, Ridley fashioned a device using the end of a broom handle that allowed him to close the hatch independently.
On October 14, 1947, Yeager set a world record by breaking the sound barrier while piloting the Bell X-1 over Rogers Dry Lake in the Mojave Desert. Since this was a secret test, the success of this mission was not immediately disclosed to the public. Instead, it was announced in June 1948, and Yeager was awarded the Mackay Trophy and the Collier Trophy. In 1954, he was honored with the Harmon International Trophy. The aircraft piloted by Yeager is now permanently displayed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Chuck Yeager broke many other speed and altitude records.
Breaking the sound barrier was not the only record set by Chuck Yeager. In fact, he broke many other speed and altitude records. Yeager was one of the first American pilots to fly the MiG-15. In 1953, when civilian pilot Jackie Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier, Yeager was the pilot of the aircraft that chased her—tasked with observing her in real-time and capturing photos and video.
On November 20, 1953, Scott Crossfield piloted the D-558-II Skyrocket and became the first person to achieve double the speed of sound. To break Crossfield’s record, Yeager collaborated with his friend Jack Ridley. On December 12, 1953, Yeager set a new record at Mach 2.44, coinciding with the ceremony during which Crossfield was dubbed the “fastest man alive.”
Even after retirement, Chuck Yeager occasionally flew for the USAF and NASA.
Chuck Yeager’s record-setting efforts came to an end in 1963 after an accident during a test flight. In this test flight, Yeager was piloting a Lockheed NF-104A (USAF 56-0762) when it crashed. At the time, he was the commander of the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School. In 1969, he was promoted to brigadier general. In 1973, he became the first and youngest pilot inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. After 33 years of military service, Yeager retired on March 1, 1975. In 1976, he was awarded the Congressional Silver Medal, which was presented to him by President Gerald Ford. Later, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan.
Even after retirement, Chuck Yeager occasionally flew for the USAF and NASA. On October 14, 1997, marking the 50th anniversary of his historic flight breaking Mach 1, Chuck Yeager made his final flight as a military advisor and once again broke the sound barrier.
