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Chuck Yeager early in his aviation career as a T-6 mechanic, circa 1941-42. He became an ace in a day during WW2 and became the first pilot to break the sound barrier in 1947. Today he turned 97
September 12, 1941 - Enlists in the Army Air Corps and undergoes training as a flight mechanic.
March 10, 1943 - Appointment as flight officer after receiving wings. His unit is sent to England in November.
March 5, 1944 - At age 21, Yeager is shot down over German-occupied France on his ninth mission. He is wounded and then rescued by the French Resistance. After being smuggled into Spain and briefly imprisoned, he makes his way back to England.
1946-1956 - Air Force flight school instructor and research test pilot.
October 14, 1947 - Flies the "Glamorous Glennis," a Bell X-1 rocket plane named after his wife, to break the sound barrier, at Mach 1.06, over the Mojave Desert.
October 10, 1948 - Flies an F-80 airplane over the Kanawha River in West Virginia during a boat regatta. Violating Air Force and FAA regulations, he flies under the South Side Bridge, does a roll and heads on to California.
December 12, 1953 - Sets a speed record of Mach 2.4, 1,650 mph. The record stands for three years.
July 1962-1966 - Commandant of the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilots School, supervises pilot training for military personnel of the space program.
December 10, 1963 - Ejects from a Lockheed Starfighter NF-104 experimental plane and sets a new record as the first pilot to eject in full compression gear under emergency conditions. His suit catches fire from the plane's debris during descent requiring extensive skin grafts for burns.
August 1969 - Promoted to brigadier general.
June 1973 - Becomes director of the Air Force Inspection and Safety Center, Norton Air Force Base, California.
March 1, 1975 - Retires from the Air Force, continues to consult as a test pilot.
December 23, 1975 - Congress award s Yeager a special Silver Medal for bravery for breaking the sound barrier. The White House ceremony takes place a year later with President Gerald Ford.
October 21, 1983 - "The Right Stuff" premieres, with Sam Shepard playing the role of Yeager; breaking the sound barrier is the movie's opening scene.
1985 - Receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan.
October 14, 1997 - Commemorates the 50th anniversary of breaking the sound barrier by doing it again in an F-15 fighter.
October 26, 2002 - Flies another "Glamorous Glennis," an F-15 Eagle, to break the sound barrier at Mach 1.45.
October 14, 2012 - On the 65th anniversary of Yeager's flight to break the sound barrier, he rides along in an F-15 over the Mojave Desert, in a re-creation of his historic flight. Capt. David Vincent, based at Nellis AFB, pilots the F-15.
September 12, 1941 - Enlists in the Army Air Corps and undergoes training as a flight mechanic.
March 10, 1943 - Appointment as flight officer after receiving wings. His unit is sent to England in November.
March 5, 1944 - At age 21, Yeager is shot down over German-occupied France on his ninth mission. He is wounded and then rescued by the French Resistance. After being smuggled into Spain and briefly imprisoned, he makes his way back to England.
1946-1956 - Air Force flight school instructor and research test pilot.
October 14, 1947 - Flies the "Glamorous Glennis," a Bell X-1 rocket plane named after his wife, to break the sound barrier, at Mach 1.06, over the Mojave Desert.
October 10, 1948 - Flies an F-80 airplane over the Kanawha River in West Virginia during a boat regatta. Violating Air Force and FAA regulations, he flies under the South Side Bridge, does a roll and heads on to California.
December 12, 1953 - Sets a speed record of Mach 2.4, 1,650 mph. The record stands for three years.
July 1962-1966 - Commandant of the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilots School, supervises pilot training for military personnel of the space program.
December 10, 1963 - Ejects from a Lockheed Starfighter NF-104 experimental plane and sets a new record as the first pilot to eject in full compression gear under emergency conditions. His suit catches fire from the plane's debris during descent requiring extensive skin grafts for burns.
August 1969 - Promoted to brigadier general.
June 1973 - Becomes director of the Air Force Inspection and Safety Center, Norton Air Force Base, California.
March 1, 1975 - Retires from the Air Force, continues to consult as a test pilot.
December 23, 1975 - Congress award s Yeager a special Silver Medal for bravery for breaking the sound barrier. The White House ceremony takes place a year later with President Gerald Ford.
October 21, 1983 - "The Right Stuff" premieres, with Sam Shepard playing the role of Yeager; breaking the sound barrier is the movie's opening scene.
1985 - Receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan.
October 14, 1997 - Commemorates the 50th anniversary of breaking the sound barrier by doing it again in an F-15 fighter.
October 26, 2002 - Flies another "Glamorous Glennis," an F-15 Eagle, to break the sound barrier at Mach 1.45.
October 14, 2012 - On the 65th anniversary of Yeager's flight to break the sound barrier, he rides along in an F-15 over the Mojave Desert, in a re-creation of his historic flight. Capt. David Vincent, based at Nellis AFB, pilots the F-15.
