FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Chuck Yeager ~ June 15, 2015

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

CPT Chuck Yeager
Part 1
All info and photos from this website.

           

Capt. Chuck Yeager - 357th Ftr. Grp.

First man to break the sound barrier,
flying Bell X-1

World War 2 ace, shot down 11 German planes,
including 2 Me-262 jets

Chuck Yeager's accomplishments as an ace in WWII have been overshadowed by his achievements as a test pilot, but his fighter pilot experiences were remarkable on their own. An eighteen-year old West Virginia country boy, he joined the U.S. Army Air Force in 1941 and shot down eleven (and a half!) German planes, including two Me-262 jets.

He was also shot down over France, evaded, joined the Maquis, and made his way back to England via Spain. Somehow he persuaded the brass to let him continue flying fighter missions in Europe, contrary to policy. All of this by the age of twenty-two.

  Born in 1923, son of Albert Hal Yeager (a staunch Republican, so firm in his party loyalties that he once refused to shake President Harry Truman's hand), Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager grew up in Myra, on the Mud River in West Virgina. His dirt-poor youth was filled with hillbilly themes that sound romantic today, but probably weren't much fun at the time: making moonshine, eating cornmeal mush three times a day, shooting squirels for dinner, chasing rats out of the kitchen, going barefoot all summer, butchering hogs, and stealing watermelons. At an early age Chuck could do well at anything requiring manual dexterity or math: ping-pong, shooting, auto mechanics.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps when he graduated from Hamlin High School in 1941, and became an airplane mechanic. He hated flying, after throwing up his first time in the air. But when the chance came to become a "Flying Sergeant," with three stripes and no K.P., he applied, and was accepted. His good coordination, mechanical abilities, and excellent memory enabled him to impress his instructors in flight training.

357th Fighter Group

Assigned to the 363rd Fighter Squadron, of the 357th Fighter Group, he moved up to P-39s with the squadron at Tonopah, Nevada. Unlike many other pilots, he always liked the P-39 (which probably would have been a decent airplane if it had had a turbocharger). Here at Tonopah, he first developed the fighter pilot's detached attitude toward death, even getting angry at those he thought had died needlessly or through lack of skill. During the ruthless weeding-out process at Tonopah, the pilots worked as hard at playing as they did at flying. They frequented the bars and cathouses of Tonopah and nearby Mina, until the sheriff ran them out of the latter establishment. He and his lifelong friend, Bud Anderson, both made it through the process.

When the squadron went to California to train for escort missions, Yeager drew temporary duty at Wright Field, Ohio, testing new props for the P-39 and also getting a chance to fly the big new P-47s. He took the opportunity to buzz his hometown, less than an hour's flying time away. As Hamlin's only fighter pilot, they knew who it was. He rejoined the squadron out in California, where he met his future wife Glennis, "pretty as a movie star and making more money than I was."

Next the squadron moved to Casper, Wyoming for more training. It was also great hunting; one time Chuck went up in his P-39 and carefully herded a dozen antelope toward a pre-arranged spot, where his armed ground confederates had a field day. They ate antelope roasts for a month. But he almost "bought the farm" in Wyoming. On October, 23, 1943, during a high speed exercise, his P-39's engine blew up, the plane burst into flames, and Yeager had to bail out. He survived, but was hospitalized with a fractured spine.

The 357th FG shipped out for Europe in winter of 1943-44, and began operations in February, 1944, the first P-51 equipped unit in the Eighth Air Force. Yeager shot down his first Messerschmitt on his seventh mission (one of the early Mustang missions over Berlin), and the next day, March 5, three FW-190s caught him and shot him down. He bailed out over occupied France, being careful to delay pulling his ripcord until he had fallen far enough to avoid getting strafed by the German fighters.

He had landed about 50 miles east of Bordeaux, injured and bleeding, but armed with a forty-five caliber pistol and determined to make his way over the Pyrenees to Spain. He hid in the woods the first night, ate a stale chocolate bar from his survival kit and huddled under this parachute. The next morning he encountered a French woodcutter.

---

With the Resistance

They couldn't communicate very well, but the woodcutter whispered "Boche" and gestured for Yeger to stay put. Uncertain as to the Frenchman's loyalties, but having no better choices, Yeager stayed, but trained his gun on the path when a he heard a couple people returning that night. "American, a friend is here come out."

His new friends led him to a barn where he hid, while the Germans searched for him. An English-speaking woman questioned him, and satisfied that he was not a German 'plant', the local resistance people help him, starting with a local doctor who removed the shrapnel from his leg. They took him to the nearest maquis group, to hide out with them, until the snow had melted enough to permit passage over the Pyrenees. The Maquis group, about 25 men, constantly kept on the move, always being hunted by German Fieseler Storch observation planes. Yeager was an outsider with the Maquis, and sometimes relations were strained, but they accepted him when he was able to help fuse plastic explosives.

After exciting and freezing adventures, he made it over the mountains into Spain. On March 30, 1944, he sat in the American consul's office. After he languished in a Spanish hotel for six weeks, the U.S. government negotiated a deal with the Franco government - a straight swap of six evadees for an amount of Texaco gasoline. The other 357th pilots were shocked when Yeager appeared; he was the first downed pilot to have returned.

Well-considered rules forbade the return of evaded pilots to combat; if they were shot down a second time, they would be liable to reveal information about the Resistance network to the German interrogators. But Chuck Yeager would have none of it; he was determined to return to combat. The evadee rule was strict,but Yeager and a bomber pilot named Fred Glover appealed all the way to General Eisenhower, who promised to "do what he could." While the decision was pending, the Group let Yeager fly training missions. Once they were called to cover a downed pilot in the Channel, a Ju-88 appeared and Yeager couldn't restrain himself from going after it, shooting it down at the German coast. He gave the gun camera footage and the credit to another pilot, but still caught Hell.

---

Return to Combat

Ike decided to allow Yeager to return to combat in the summer of 1944, which he did with a vengence, now flying a P-51D nicknamed Glamorous Glen, gaudily decorated in the red-and-yellow trim of the 357th. At first, the pickings were slim, as the German fliers seemed to be laying low. He flew in a four plane division with Bud Anderson and Don Bochkay, two other double aces. On September 18, he flew in support of the Market Garden glider drops over Arnhem, but couldn't do much to stop the appalling slaughter of the C-47s. By this time, he had been promoted to Lieutenant, a commissioned officer.

Yeager became an 'ace-in-a-day' on October 12, leading a bomber escort over Bremen. As he closed in on one Bf-109, the pilot broke left and collided with his wingman; both bailed out, giving Yeager credit for two victories without firing a shot. In a sharp dogfight, Yeager's vision, flying skills, and gunnery gave him three more quick kills.

The German Me-262 jets appeared in combat in late 1944, but went right after the bombers, avoiding dogfights with the Mustangs. Whenever they wanted, they could just open it up, and pull away from the P-51s with a 150 MPH speed advantage. One day Yeager caught one on its approach to an airstrip. Flying through dense flak, he downed the jet, and earned a DFC for the feat.

He flew his last "combat" mission in January, 14 1945. He and Bud Anderson cooked up a scheme to sign on for the day's missions as "spares," and then do some uninhibited flying. Anderson describes this, and other events in his life-long friendship with Yeager, in his autobiography, To Fly and Fight:

We hit the Dutch coast, took a right and flew south, 500 across France into Switzerland. Chuck was the guide. And I was the tourist.

We dropped our tanks on Mount Blanc and strafed them, trying to set them afire (it seemed like a good idea at the time), then found Lake Annecy, and the lakeshore hotel where Yeager and DePaolo had met. We buzzed the hotel, fast enough and low enough to tug at the shingles, and then we zoomed over the water, right on the deck, our props throwing up mist.

We'd just shot up a mountain in a neutral country, buzzed half of Europe, and probably could have been court-martialed on any one of a half-dozen charges. It didn't matter We were aglow. It was over, we had survived, we were finished, and now we would go home together.

When we landed at Leiston, my crew chief jumped on my wing, "Group got more than 50 today. Must've been something. How many did you get?"

"None," I confessed in a small, strangled voice. I felt sick.

Chuck and Glennis were married in February, and he reported to Wright Field in July, the start of his even more extraordinary career as a test pilot. He impressed his instructors so much, that despite his non-com background and his West Virginia accent, he was assigned to the XS-1 project at Muroc Field in California.

Continued next week

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night, my. Thanks for helping honor our military, and thank you for your service to our country.

[Kathy in Alaska]

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

God Bless you good, Mac. *HUGS* Good night and rest well.
Thanks for helping honor our troops, past and present.
Thank you for your service to our country.

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

Thank you for the dissertation on Gen. Chuck Yeager! ;-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good almost morning to you, spel...((HUGS))...Chuck Yeager is such an interesting read. He has done so many things. Glad you enjoyed. I forgot to put Part 1 in the title...next week is Part 2.

Have you had enough rain in your area?

[luvie]

Well, no, because it’s midnight and there are skeeters out there! LOL! I did have the door open earlier though so I could hear it and smell that wonderful aroma. It was still raining last time I checked to see if one of the kitties wanted out....she didn’t. =^..^=

[MoochPooch]

Weather turned a bit warm over the past week. Hoping for a mild summer, like the last one. Not sure I’ll be lucky.

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

Rain threatened today but only partly cloudy. ;-)

[luvie]

I’m sorry you couldn’t be there, too. It just wasn’t the same.

I’ll pray for Nicky. He’s a few years younger than my MIL, so I know how precious the hours are for him and his friends.

((((hugs))))....nighty-night, MY!

[Kathy in Alaska]

I don’t think so...and get her paws wet? LOL!

[Dan Cooper]

When my daughter turned 15 we bought her an introductory flight lesson at the local FBO in Grass Valley, CA. She went with an instructor and also her cousin in the back seat of a Cessna 172 while I walked out to the runway. They taxied off the ramp and down to the east end of the runway. Grass Valley is an uncontrolled airport and it was a not a very windy day. The traffic pattern normally takes off east to west where there is a drop off at the end of the runway. While the aircraft with my daughter is down at the east end doing the pre-flight checklist and engine run up, a Super Cub comes gliding in in the opposite direction. The Super Cub touches down and powers up to go around again. I thought, who is this idiot doing touch and goes in the opposite direction of the prevailing traffic? Anyway the 172 sneaks out while the Cub is going around. The Cub does a couple more T&Gs and departs. When my daughter gets back, she says the instructor was very excited, the Cub was being flown by General Yeager and a friend and he was thrilled to talk to them on Unicom. General Yeager is spoken of with much respect around these parts. When it comes to airplanes I’m pretty sure he knows what he is doing.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, Dan Cooper....fantastic story and a wonderful memory for your daughter.

I suspect he did know what he was doing. LOL!

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

((HUGS))Good morning, Ladies. Thanks for this morning's thread, Star. How's it going?

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Got a stick of Beemans?

He has the right stuff.

[PROCON]

Hiya Beachie!

A nice weekend here, the weather was perfect and relaxation was aplenty.

I did a bit of accessory shopping at my local gun store yesterday. Can't have too much gun stuff.

Son was also over yesterday to hang out and play video games.

So, how'd your book event go? You're getting closer to retirement everyday now.

Have a great day!

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Canteen.

Good morning to our

Military, our Allies, and their families.

Thank you for all you do.

Thank you, Star, for preparing the Canteen
for today’s activities.
Thanks for another great tribute.

I normally hate Mondays, but
I'm happy to be back in the office this morning.
It was a hot and busy weekend. I need the rest.

We did get rain this weekend, but
it did not bring relief from the heat.

Guess I should make my rounds
as I see the day is getting on.

But please stay right where you are.
Chat up the military or a family member.
No need to fret...you know I'll be back!

The FR Canteen is

Come in and sit for a while.
There's always plenty of coffee, tea,
pancakes, conversation, silliness,
and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM ~ DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning Pro ((HUGS))

LOL, you are right, can't have too much gun stuff. I'd ask you what "accessories" you bought but we don't want it to be public knowledge ;)

It was a hot and busy weekend for me. We hung out with young son and his fiancé yesterday (he's perfecting his meat-smokin' skills).

Book event went well (hot as Hades though). I actually sold 6 books; most in the last hour. Plus, I passed out post cards with my website info and told those who stopped but did not buy, that they could find the ebook online. Next, I've signed up for the annual Local Authors Reception held at one of the local libraries in early August, where, even if I don't make a sale, I'll be in contact with more potential readers.

Yes, soon I'll be down to 90 days to retirement.

Have a wondrous Monday.

[luvie]

I agree with Snoopy!
You Early Birds can have that thing! LOL!
I'd rather sleep late and have a cookie!
Hope all of you have a Mahv'lus Monday! It did rain here....and it was wonderful!
I can't tell you what a lovely cool morning it is!
Don't work too hard!
((((hugs))))


Arrow? Did Travis get more water over the weekend?

[luvie]

Dang! Forgot to ping you Early Birds! See? I need more sleep! LOL!

[luvie]

Glad your book event went well! I wish I could have been there...though I’ve already bought the books. :)

Retirement? What’s that? I have thoughts of doing so, but the idea of being at home all day with a retired hubby, makes me get up and go back to work every day. LOL!

I love him...but his little messes would drive me nuts. :)

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Beach. How’s it going?