How Did Chuck Yeager Break The Sound Barrier?

Yeager is by the far the most enjoyable history lesson anyone could wish for. The autobiography tells the story of Chuck Yeager, the world’s greatest pilot and first man to break the sound barrier. The story, told by General Yeager himself, has the perfect balance of humor and action. Witty anecdotes and suspenseful flight sequences keep the reader engrossed. The book is a multi-million bestseller for a reason. Chuck Yeager was born in 1923 in West Virginia. He learned to always do his best and be honest. Chuck’s father taught Chuck and his brother Roy to hunt and fish at early ages. Chuck’s sharp hunting eyes and amazing hand-eye coordination were key elements of his piloting prowess early on. Not only did Chuck have piloting skill, but he also understood the engineering and mechanical aspects of planes due to tinkering with engines and pumps his father used. Despite his heroism, Chuck still
thinks of himself as the kid he was growing up and attributes who he is to his upbringing in rural West Virginia. Chuck speculated that if there was a “best pilot” he was certainly in the running.
During World War II Chuck was an ace fighter pilot. After the War, in 1947, Yeager was assigned to test the rocket powered X-1 jet. Later in 1947, Chuck broke the sound barrier in the X-1. In 1952, Chuck set a new air speed record of 1,650 miles per hour, about twice the speed of sound. Chuck purposely set this record just days before a special was to air on television about the previous record holder. He was known as the fiercest pilot; he could wax anyone in a dogfight regardless of who had the better plane. Some of Chuck’s military decorations and awards include a Silver Star, a Distinguished Flying Cross, and a Purple Heart. His civilian awards include the MacKay, Harmon, and Collier Trophies; the Presidential Medal of Freedom; and a peacetime Congressional Medal of Honor. Before he retired he was youngest pilot ever inducted into the Aviation hall of fame in Dayton, Ohio. Chuck was the best for two simple reasons: he loved to fly, and he flew more than anyone
else. Throughout his years in the Air Force Chuck flew some of the most dangerous and experimental planes. In one incident, Chuck was flying towards the sun and could not see his instrument panel. After he regained his sight, he learned he had flown at too steep an angle. His plane went higher than it was designed to go, and Chuck lost control. Ejecting, the rocket charge equipped to his seat hit him in the face plate of his helmet which was still feeding oxygen to him. He quickly caught fire and had to receive multiple skin grafts. At one point, Chuck was in a helicopter carrying more than its maximum load. The helicopter plummeted into an icy lake below. As Chuck burst through the plexiglass he was scalped. It took 138 sutures to fix his head. Chuck credited his success to his ability to “manage to live to fly another day.” I enjoyed Yeager thoroughly. At times, it is hard to believe some of the events in the book actually happened. For example, Chuck and his buddy were ordered by a general to collect Golden Trout from the Sierras and transport them to a lake in New Mexico because the general had never tasted a better fish. Although the book was moderately long at 423 pages, it never dragged. Because each chapter was filled with so much, there were never any low points. Sections in the book would be labeled with “Other Voices.” During which, other people Chuck knew would share what they thought about the topic of the chapter. I appreciated these sections because they provided a more accurate representation of an event. Sometimes Chuck would exaggerate or be in a position where his point of view was limited. Glennis Yeager, Chuck’s wife, was the most utilized “Other Voice.” It was intriguing to know how she felt about her husband risking his life nearly every day of their lives together. The book could have been a tedious history lesson, but Chuck managed to keep every chapter to the point and interesting.