Chuck Yeager is a common man who was born with extraordinary eyesight, a mechanical bent and at the perfect moment in history to become a living legend. This is what General Yeager asserts in his autobiography. Even a casual reading of it, however, demonstrates that there is much more to him than simply that.
General Yeager's life has been filled with action and excitement. One comes away from 'Yeager', written with the help of Leo Janos, with the sense that the lives of several people have been presented.
You might expect controversy and excitement from the autobiography of a world renowned fighter pilot, and 'Yeager' delivers both. His tone is cocky and he spares few people with whom he locked horns over the years. In an ironic anecdote he lets us know that he doesn't think much of Neil Armstrong's flying judgement (and you'll chuckle as he tells why.) Ironic because Neil Armstrong later became the first man to walk on the moon.
An interesting feature of this excellent autobiography is Other Voices. Each chapter is punctuated with short anecdotes from those who were directly involved with the General. We get to hear from his wife Glynnis throughout; Colonel Boyd, who selected the General to break the sound barrier, and several other personal 'witnesses' along the way.
The details of General Yeager's mulitary service could easily have required several volumes. He began his career as an Army Air Corp private (and as a mechanic) and became the nations's premier test pilot, rising to the rank of General in the Air Force along the way. In itself, this is a remarkable achievement. But then there are the details...
During WW II, General Yeager was shot down over France. He saved another downed American airman by amputating what was left of the man's leg, and carrying him on his back as they escaped over the Pyrenees to freedom. About to be sent home to America to protect the identities of the Resistance fighters who helped him escape, he contacted General Eisenhower directly and successfully convinced the Supreme Commander to allow him to remain and fly combat missions.
Vindicating General Eisenhower's decision, he subsequently shot down five German ME-109 fighters in a single dogfight. It was a very rare achievement to become an Ace in a day. On other notable day he fired upon and downed a German ME-262 jet fighter from his propeller driven aircraft. This was a unique feat in World War II. His reputation as a superb (and ferocious) combat pilot was firmly established by the end of that war.
After the war, he became part of the team that first broke the sound barrier. General Yeager accomplished this in 1947, with broken ribs from a fall the evening before, and in the face of much speculation that it could not be done. The stories about what was said and done at Pancho Barnes place on the Mojave desert during and after this period only add to the General's reputation.
He went on to several assignments including Air Wing Commander, heading the Air War College, a fighter pilot training school and then to setting up the nation's first true astronaut training facility.
While others have written about Chuck Yeager, you won't be disappointed to hear the General set the record straight, where needed, nor to listen to the unique and often humorous anecdotes he has to tell.
Chuck Yeager is the best fighter pilot this nation has ever produced. His exploits in the service of his country earned him a special peace time Congressional Medal of Honor. This autobiography is an interesting read for more than just the the military history or aviation history buff. It is the story of a real life American patriot who became a hero...and lived to tell us about it!
Copyright 1996 Louis J. Rose All Rights Reserved.