Charles Elwood Yeager
MilitaryRoger Freeman photo
Chuck Yeager was born on 13 February 1923, in Myra, West Virginia.
Attacked by fighters on a bomber support mission to Bordeaux, FR and crashed SE of Marmande, France on 5 Mar 44 in P-51B #43-6763 'Glamorous Glen'. Evaded (EVD).
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 kills were scored without firing a single shot: when he flew into firing position against a Messerschmitt Bf 109, the pilot of the aircraft panicked, breaking to starboard 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.
After the war, he was the first man to break the sound barrier.
He died on 7 December 2020, aged 93.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 364th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-822187
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Glamorus Glen
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Daddy Rabbit Glamorous Glenn II
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Glamorous Glen III Melody's Answer
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron
Missions
- Date: 12 October 1944
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
13 February 1923 | ||
Enlisted Evaded (EVD) |
12 September 1941 - 5 March 1944 | 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. | |
Died |
7 December 2020 | ||
Other Evaded (EVD) |
5 March 1944 | Returned to England via Spain. | |
Buried |
Revisions
Added an association to the 8th AF Mission #674FE on 12 Oct 1944 per info in the "Summary biography".
Updated the location of the Died event per his obituary on the internet.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/chuck-yeager-dead/2020/…
Added an Enlisted event per Wikipedia.com.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Yeager#World_War_II
Updated Middle Name and rank per info on Wikipedia.com.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Yeager
NARA files verified Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters and Purple Heart decorations for service in World War II. He earned another DFC in 1948 and 1950 respectively. All other decorations or oak leaf clusters were earned after World War II and his official Air Force biography photo shows the EAME with silver star and bronze star denoting six campaigns.
Updated the Born event per info on Wikipedia. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Yeager
Updated events per info in the book "Masters of the Air" by "Donald L. Miller" on pages 267-271.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2788 / MACR 2788, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list