Chuck Yeager Essay
Chuck Yeager For this assignment, I selected American pilot Chuck Yeager because of his long history with the aviation and aerospace field through the U.S. military, as well as the breakthroughs he made during his service. His ambition, dignity, and patriotism for his country and line of work makes him stand out from many others in this field, and as a result, I feel he has contributed greatly to the aerospace industry. Chuck Yeager is an American combat veteran from Myra, West Virginia that served in both World War II and the Vietnam War. He graduated from high school only six months before the United States became involved in WWII, and entered the flight school for the Army Air Corps in 1942. He received his Pilot’s Wings in 1943,
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In 1953, he reached Mach II in another experimental jet, and left the testing field in 1954 to command the 417th Fighter Bomber Squadron in Europe. After his return to the United States a few years later, he was chosen in 1962 to head the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School to train astronauts. Nearly half of all the astronauts participating in the Gemini, Mercury, and Apollo missions graduated from Yeager’s prestigious class. His teachings and participation in the Space Race later led to the development of NASA, proving just how much he pioneered for the industry. After leaving his job as a teacher, he resumed test runs, but an incident in 1963 almost took his life. While traveling over mach II, an engine went down, and the aircraft started spinning uncontrollably. He was forced to eject from the plane, but his parachute caught on fire on the way down, and he suffered severe burns to much of his body. Even after this near-death experience, he continued to serve, entering the Vietnam War in 1966 as the Commander of the 405th Fighter Wing. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1968, becoming one of only a handful of people to ever move all the way from enlisted to general. He finally retired from the Air Force in 1975, but remained involved in their affairs for some time later. He now lives in Penn Valley, California at the age of
In 1953, he reached Mach II in another experimental jet, and left the testing field in 1954 to command the 417th Fighter Bomber Squadron in Europe. After his return to the United States a few years later, he was chosen in 1962 to head the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School to train astronauts. Nearly half of all the astronauts participating in the Gemini, Mercury, and Apollo missions graduated from Yeager’s prestigious class. His teachings and participation in the Space Race later led to the development of NASA, proving just how much he pioneered for the industry. After leaving his job as a teacher, he resumed test runs, but an incident in 1963 almost took his life. While traveling over mach II, an engine went down, and the aircraft started spinning uncontrollably. He was forced to eject from the plane, but his parachute caught on fire on the way down, and he suffered severe burns to much of his body. Even after this near-death experience, he continued to serve, entering the Vietnam War in 1966 as the Commander of the 405th Fighter Wing. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1968, becoming one of only a handful of people to ever move all the way from enlisted to general. He finally retired from the Air Force in 1975, but remained involved in their affairs for some time later. He now lives in Penn Valley, California at the age of