[Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager oral history interview]

Fighter ace Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager is interviewed about his military service with the U.S. Army Air Forces and U.S. Air Force. He describes his wartime experiences in Europe during World War II, including his time with the 357th Fighter Group and his time with the Maquis (French Underground) in rural France. He also discusses his post-war career as an experimental test pilot. Topics discussed include notable combat missions, his involvement with the Bell X-1 program and the Aerospace Research Pilot School, and his experiences with various aircraft.

The interview is conducted by fellow fighter ace Eugene A. Valencia. Note that audio may be difficult to hear in some spots due to uneven volume levels present in the original recording.

Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager was born on February 13, 1923 in Myra, West Virginia. He joined the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1941, initially serving as an airplane mechanic and later enrolling in enlisted pilot training. He graduated from flight school in 1943 and was designated a flight officer. Deployed to Europe, Yeager served with the 363rd Fighter Squadron of the 357th Fighter Group, flying missions over Germany, France, and other areas of the European Theater. He was shot down on March 5, 1945 during a mission over Southern France and spent the next several weeks with the Maquis (French Underground). With their help, he evaded capture, escaped to Spain, and returned to his squadron in England.

After World War II, Yeager served with the U.S. Air Force as an experimental test pilot. In 1947, while flying the Bell X-1, he became the first pilot to officially break the sound barrier. Other assignments from his career include commanding a number of squadrons and fighter wings, serving as commandant of the Aerospace Research Pilot School, and serving as vice-commander of the Seventeenth Air Force. Yeager retired in 1975 at the rank of brigadier general. He passed away in 2020.