Trailrider #896 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 My boyhood hero, the consummate pilot is gone! He passed Monday, 7 December 2020, at age 97. The list of his accomplishments as a pilot, officer, leader and gentlemen are too long to list here. He was the first human to break the sound barrier (nursing some broken ribs suffered the evening before while riding a horse), and live to tell about it, flying the Bell X-1 rocket plane. I was privileged to meet him twice, first as an AFROTC cadet, about six months after ejecting from the NF-104, depicted in the movie, "The Right Stuff", and many years later at a dinner honoring him. He was much more than a stick-and-rudder pilot. | | Rest In Peace, sir! | Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 The man was inspirational! About thirty years ago or so ago Palouse and I stopped at the old Nut Tree in Vacaville, and were surprised to find Yeager and Bud Anderson signing books. Needless to say, we bought the books, and shook their hands after they autographed 'em. When Yeager looked at you it was piercing, as if he could see your soul.... What a loss - he was a national treasure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raylan Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 He had the right stuff.... https://nypost.com/2020/12/07/legendary-airman-chuck-yeager-dead-at-97/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 One of my personal heroes. He and his fellows set the example, and we followed. When broken ribs kept him from securing the canopy shut, a sawed off broomhandle was obtained by *ahem* effective means *ahem* and his fellow conspirators kept his injury from flight surgeon, the Old Man, and anyone else who didn't have genuine need-to-know. As a child I regarded him much as Tom Sawyer regarded a Senator -- in my youthful imagination, he had to be tall as a shot tower and big around as a church -- never met the man, but admired the hell out of him my entire life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Rest In Peace, Chuck Yeager. You, Sir were an inspiration to many and a hero. It saddens me that he is gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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