Yeager

Yeager is a surname. It is most prominently associated with Charles Elwood “Chuck” Yeager, a celebrated American aviator, and with Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia, named in his honor.

Charles E. Yeager was born February 13, 1923, in Myra, West Virginia. He joined the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1941 and served as a fighter pilot during World War II, flying P-51 Mustangs in the European Theater. After the war he became a test pilot and joined the U.S. Air Force. On October 14, 1947, piloting the Bell X-1 named Glamorous Glennis, he became the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound in level flight. He continued to work as a test pilot and Air Force officer, retiring in 1975 with the rank of brigadier general.

Yeager’s achievement is regarded as a landmark in aviation history, contributing to postwar research in high-speed flight and paving the way for subsequent advances in both military aviation and space exploration. He remained a public figure through lectures, appearances, and a lasting presence in popular culture. In Charleston, West Virginia, the main regional airport was renamed Yeager Airport in his honor, reflecting his lasting legacy in American aviation.