Sound barrier pioneer celebrates 65 years
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Retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager prepares to board an F-15D Eagle from the 65th Aggressor Squadron Oct. 14, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. In a jet piloted by Capt. David Vincent, 65th AGRS pilot, Yeager is commemorating the 65th anniversary of his historic breaking of the sound barrier flight Oct. 14, 1947, in the Bell X-1 rocket research plane named “Glamorous Glennis.” Yeager was awarded the prestigious Collier Trophy in 1948 for this landmark aeronautical achievement. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jason W. Edwards)
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Retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager and Capt. David Vincent, 65th Aggressor Squadron pilot, taxi to the active runway in an F-15D Eagle Oct. 14, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Yeager and Vincent commemorated the 65th anniversary of breaking of the sound barrier by flying from Las Vegas to Edwards AFB in southern California. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lawrence Crespo)
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Retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager and Capt. David Vincent, 65th Aggressor Squadron pilot, taxi in under water fired from 99th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department trucks after the commemorative flight for the 65th anniversary of Yeager’s breaking of the sound barrier Oct. 14, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Yeager was the first pilot to travel faster than sound in the Bell X-1 rocket research plane named “Glamorous Glennis.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Lawrence Crespo)
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Retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager is assisted in the cockpit of an F-15D Eagle by by Senior Airman Anthony Ewing, 757th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron dedicated crew chief, Oct. 14, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Yeager was commemorating the 65th anniversary of his breaking of the sound barrier by flying with the 65th Aggressor Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lawrence Crespo)
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Retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager and Capt. David Vincent, 65th Aggressor Squadron pilot, walk to an F-15D Eagle Oct. 14, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Yeager and Vincent commemorated the 65th anniversary of breaking of the sound barrier by flying from Las Vegas to Edwards AFB in southern California. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lawrence Crespo)
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Retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager poses for photographers after returning from his 65th anniversary of breaking the sound barrier flight aboard a 65th Aggressor Squadron F-15D Eagle piloted by Capt. David Vincent, 65th AGRS, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Oct. 14, 2012. Yeager became the first man to break the sound barrier Oct. 14, 1947, over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Lawrence Crespo)
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Retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager prepares to board an F-15D Eagle from the 65th Aggressor Squadron Oct. 14, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. In a jet piloted by Capt. David Vincent, 65th AGRS pilot, Yeager is commemorating the 65th anniversary of his historic breaking of the sound barrier flight Oct. 14, 1947, in the Bell X-1 rocket research plane named “Glamorous Glennis.” Yeager was awarded the prestigious Collier Trophy in 1948 for this landmark aeronautical achievement. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Master Sgt. Jason W. Edwards)
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Sound barrier pioneer celebrates 65 years
Posted 10/15/2012
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by Senior Airman Jack Sanders
99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
10/15/2012 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) – Retired Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager, the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound, celebrated the 65th anniversary of his ground breaking event with a re-enactment here Oct. 14.
Yeager was serving as a test pilot and flying the experimental Bell X-1 named the, “Glamorous Glennis,” Oct. 14, 1947, when he successfully broke the sound barrier.
“Up until that time we weren’t able to do it,” Yeager said. “Finally, in Oct. 14, 1947, we succeeded, and that opened up the doors of space to us.”
Yeager’s re-enactment flight began when he and the aircraft’s pilot, Capt. David Vincent, 65th Aggressor Squadron pilot, flew an F-15D Eagle to 45,000 feet over Edwards AFB, Calif., and at 10:24 a.m. broke the sound barrier again.
“It was the greatest moment of my life so far,” Vincent said. “It’s like being with Christopher Columbus when he discovered the new world or like being with Orville and Wilbur Wright on the first flight.”
Vincent said Yeager hadn’t lost a step and pointed out landmarks over Edwards AFB.
“It was a smooth flight today,” the general said. “I’m very familiar with the area and got a good view.”
Yeager finished his day with a meet and greet with Nellis Airmen followed by a question and answer segment.
“I want to thank you all at Nellis,” Yeager said. “The F-15 is my favorite airplane, and that’s why I came here to fly it.”
Yeager enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army Air Forces Sept. 12, 1941. Later he was accepted to flight training in the flying sergeants program and, upon completion, was promoted to flight. Yeager demonstrated his flying skill during World War II when he became an, “ace in a day” after downing five enemy aircraft in one mission.
“What I am, I owe to the Air Force,” Yeager said. “They took an 18-year-old kid from West Virginia and turned him into who I am today.”
Article source: http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123322229
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