RIP General Chuck Yeager - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 12-08-2020, 07:29 AM

He passed at age 97.

If you have not read his biography it is very worthwhile. He was a special talent. My favorite story about him was when his group would take off to meet the German fighters over the water he would start counting planes as soon as he could see them. It would often be in the twenties before anybody else in his group could see one.

In his community in West VA he stated that in a culture of people who could shoot well he was always the best even when only a child.

He grew up helping his father maintain the pipelines including pumps and motors. His mechanical abilities saved his life in planes many times. He knew what every part on the plane did and often could keep them flying when they would have crashed with another pilot.

In WW2 he flew against the germans over France, scoring many kills. He was shot down though and was hidden by the resistance. They then sent him over the Pyranees to return to the US. He was with a small group. They were discovered by the facists though and when they tried to escape a couple of them were killed instantly and another was alive but comatose. Yeager pulled him along in the snow until he could not walk any more, then at a place where the snow disappeared into fog or darkness he let his wounded comrade slide down the mountain. He followed. Miraculously they made it safely. At the bottom he saw a road and was saved. They went back for the other fellow and he survived as well.

His deeds after the war with the speed of sound etc, are equally impressive.

The movie the right stuff is very good too.

oldsinner111 · #2 12-08-2020, 07:51 AM

good dude,very brave

tyl604 · #3 12-08-2020, 11:41 AM

More than that; he was a true American hero. Not a sports figure or a personality but an honest to goodness hero. I read the book (maybe called Yeager: an autobiography) years ago and it stuck with me. You owe it to yourself to read this and you will know why they were called "the greatest generation."

oldsinner111 · #4 12-08-2020, 01:34 PM

greatest I say racist generation, when 1940 new york help wanted said no negros,dogs, or jews. america the hateful racist christian bastards were awful over skin color, or large noses. But yeah anyone who fly a plane when scientist thought the sound barrier would liquify tissue had balls. I just hate the term greastest. The hippy revolution that protested racism, corporate greed, starting wars for profitt, holding nam at all cost while exploring for oil. Brave protestors too.

Shortsguy1 · #5 12-08-2020, 01:59 PM

I never met Mr. Yeager, but he was a hero of mine when I was growing up. His death initially made me tear up this morning when I read it. But what an amazingly full life with so many accomplishments.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/07/us/chuck-yeager-dead.html

Stoney · #6 12-08-2020, 05:15 PM

Met him once, many moons ago when I was in TV/Video life...Everyone was fawning around him,which he obviously hated, and after the BS was done I walked over and asked him if I could buy him a "cold one"...ended up being a REALLY Good afternoon!

t walgamuth · #7 12-08-2020, 06:02 PM

Cool!

Tony H · #8 12-09-2020, 12:12 AM

Years ago (like 25) my dad would see him frequently at the Travis AFB hospital. He lived close to our last home in Ca. It's the end of an era.

Air&Road · #9 12-18-2020, 08:22 AM

He was INDEED a key member of “THE GREATEST GENERATION.”

They roughed their way through the depression and WWII. If it would have been the politically correct youth of today trying to do this we would be speaking German and Japanese right now.

Yes, some, BUT NOT NOT ALL of them were racists. It was a different time, which is no excuse and I’m happy that many people have moved away from that, but lumping them all together as ALL racists is as prejudicial as those of that time that were prejudice.

Yeager, in his later life displayed an arrogant nature and has been criticized for it. Regardless of that, his amazing accomplishments in battle and aviation should not be taken away from him. At the time of his retirement he had logged more time in high performance jets than any man alive. Much of that time was at Edwards flying multiple dangerous test programs at the same time period.

My favorite story was after making his way back after being shot down over France, he was told he couldn’t fly combat any longer. He went to his CO and told him that he refused to stop fighting. The CO didn’t know how to react and sent him up the chain of command. He finally ended up standing at attention across the desk from IKE. IKE said the invasion had started so there was no longer a threat to the French underground so it was okay.

Years later Yeager met IKE at a party and asked him if he remembered meeting with him in Europe. IKE seemed to be hurt by the question and responded “ Son, how could I possibly forget a young Second Lieutenant that would stand in front of the Commanding general and tell him firmly that he refused to stop fighting?”

Thanks to the guts and resolve of that generation old sinner, you have the freedom to stand up for those who are discriminated against. You shouldn’t be vilifying them. You should be thankful for them and be willing to accept their faults. Guess what? We ALL, including you and I have faults.

t walgamuth · #10 12-18-2020, 10:53 AM

As a person who grew up in a small rural school we did not have any black folks in our neighborhood though we lived close to South Bend In. We had a few Mexicans. There were mint farms nearby on what was called Muck farms for the rich nature of the black soil. The Mexicans came in to bring in the crops.

The farm had small houses that they lived in. I can remember as a small child seeing a 2 or 3 ton flat bed at the neighborhood store with a canvas top that contained maybe 20 people in the back on benches. The truck memory was vivid because of the elaborate pin striping. I do not remember ever seeing any acts of racism, though I am certain there were.

There were black folks in South Bend. My dad told me that all people were created equal. In my thoughts, my dad as an individual was not racist, though the racism was ingrained in our society for sure. It worked against people of color. It was for sure not the high point in that generation.