Chuck Yeager Memorial Rocket
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
In 1947, a WWII fighter pilot named Chuck Yeager flew the Bell X-1 Rocket at a speed of 670 mph. Doing this, he became the first person ever to break the sound barrier. This memorial stands as a reminder of his incredible achievement. This memorial stands to this day and its design is a rocket to resemble the rocket in which Yeager broke the sound barrier.
Images
Chuck Yeager Memorial Rocket
Chuck Yeager As a Young Adult in the U.S. Airforce
Chuck Yeager 65 Years after his first flight
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Chuck Yeager is know mostly as one of the most famous test pilots of all time. He started out in the United States Army Air Corps as soon as he graduated high school and was sent to fight in WWII. After his first kill in 1943, Yeager was shot down, and with help from the French Resistance, he was able to evade capture. When he returned to his fellow soldiers he was not allowed to fly in combat anymore according to army policy, but General Dwight D. Eisenhower allowed him to fly in combat once again.
He flew 64 combat missions downing 13 enemy planes in a 5 year period, Five in one mission alone.
After the war, he served as a U.S. Air Force flight instructor and test pilot. This is when he was asked to test the rocket-powered X-1. This is when he used the x-1 to break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947, being the first person to achieve this. This was not the peak of his career after breaking the record he went on to break his previous record and fly 1650 mph, two times as fast as the speed of sound.
After Yeager retired, he was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame in 1973. Being the youngest to ever be inducted, he took great pride, along with the state of West Virginia, as Yeager was a native of the Mountain State. This Memorial is to commemorate Yeager's bravery testing the first rocket propelled plane. Chuck Yeager went on to break the sound barrier again on the 50th anniversary of his history making flight. This time he broke it in an F-15 fighter on October 14, 1997. This monument was erected in 1970 by the Explorer Scouts.Guests were Mrs. Hal Yeager, Chuck's mother, and Congressman John Slack.The Honest John Army missile was brought from Lexington, Army Depot. During the dedication in July 4, 1970....three Air Force jets flew over the site.
He flew 64 combat missions downing 13 enemy planes in a 5 year period, Five in one mission alone.
After the war, he served as a U.S. Air Force flight instructor and test pilot. This is when he was asked to test the rocket-powered X-1. This is when he used the x-1 to break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947, being the first person to achieve this. This was not the peak of his career after breaking the record he went on to break his previous record and fly 1650 mph, two times as fast as the speed of sound.
After Yeager retired, he was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame in 1973. Being the youngest to ever be inducted, he took great pride, along with the state of West Virginia, as Yeager was a native of the Mountain State. This Memorial is to commemorate Yeager's bravery testing the first rocket propelled plane. Chuck Yeager went on to break the sound barrier again on the 50th anniversary of his history making flight. This time he broke it in an F-15 fighter on October 14, 1997. This monument was erected in 1970 by the Explorer Scouts.Guests were Mrs. Hal Yeager, Chuck's mother, and Congressman John Slack.The Honest John Army missile was brought from Lexington, Army Depot. During the dedication in July 4, 1970....three Air Force jets flew over the site.
Sources
"Almost Heaven..." Luna Lonestar. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. .
"Chuck Yeager Biography." -- Academy of Achievement. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. ."Chuck Yeager: First Person to Break the Sound Barrier." Space.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. .
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. ,
St. Albans Historical Society