Chuck Yeager, pilot who broke the sound barrier, dies at 97



(CNN) US Air Force officer and test pilot Chuck Yeager, known as "the fastest man alive," has died at the age of 97.

His wife, Victoria, tweeted from Yeager's verified Twitter account on Monday night that the World War II flying ace had died just before 9 p.m. ET.
"An incredible life well lived, America's greatest pilot," she tweeted.

Yeager broke the sound barrier when he tested the X-1 in October 1947, although the feat was not announced to the public until 1948.
His legacy captured later generations as well, being featured in the book and 1983 film, "The Right Stuff."

'An incredibly courageous man'

"This is a sad day for America," John Nicoletti, Yeager's friend and ground crew chief, told CNN Monday night. "After he broke the sound barrier, we all now have permission to break barriers."
Nicoletti said Yeager had gone through some physical challenges in recent years and had a fall that led to complications and other issues due to his age.

Yeager resided in Northern California but died in a Los Angeles hospital, Nicoletti said.

"Many didn't make it through World War II. Most didn't make it through the early days of test piloting," Nicoletti explained. "The odds of survival for Chuck were as narrow as the odds of America gaining its own freedom."

"Yeager was never a quitter," Nicoletti recalled of his friend. "He was an incredibly courageous man."

"General Yeager represents the best of us. For me, Chuck Yeager will always be the sound of freedom," he added.



https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/07/us/chuck-yeager-death