And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Monday, May 20, 2024
Yeager. You can tell from the eyes, he's fearless.
In retirement, he could go to any Air Force base anytime, and fly anything they had whenever he wanted to. He took an SR-71 for an afternoon jaunt to Alaska out of Beale when they still had Blackbirds there.
Elmo-- I never went into that Riebe's store, but during the late 90's I shot rifle matches at Nevada County Sportsman's Club. A few times Yeager came in and yakked with a white haired gent who worked the snack bar.
Thanks for that. I hadn't heard. Passed away three days ago in his sleep, in his Auburn, CA home. That was the same town that he graduated from high school in. What a life.
Back around 2011 I worked the retail floor at Huntington's in Oroville, CA. Now and then Yeager would drop in to visit Buzz Huntington. Yeager drove a white Dodge Dakota with the license plate "Bell X-1".
General Yeager was a good friend of Del Riebe, founder of Riebe's Auto Parts in Grass Valley, CA. He'd help the store out when he had time and felt the urge. Occasionally he'd make runs to Sacamento in a company pickup that was an old puke green Forest Service pickup.
Can you imagine diving down the freeway and noticing an old guy driving an old beater pickup, and then realizing that the 'old guy' was Chuck Yeager? What a hoot.
Being in the aviation world, I've met a large number of the greats, and yes, they all seem to have "that look", even as old men! These guys eventually admit they are not completely fearless. Instead, they'll talk about having some apprehension, but moving forward properly, with safety protocols in place, extensive training and the best equipment money could buy.
Had phenomenal vision, think it was 20-40 or better. Part of why he was an ace, could detect enemy planes long before his brother fighter pilots. Highly thought of here in WV.
True, although the numbers go the other way. IIRC, his vision was on the order of 20-15 or better. Here's another story--
Yeager started out as an enlisted mechanic. His mechanical aptitude served him well throughout. On one mission, a fellow pilot's engine quit. Fortunately they were at altitude. Yeager cut his throttle and matched the other pilots glide. As they glided down, he got on the radio and talked the other pilot through a series of checks, finally discovering the the pilot had forgotten to switch fuel tanks. The pilot switched tanks and started his engine. By that time they were taking small arms fire from the ground. Rumor has it they set a new time to altitude record.
some of the other 'greats' had that 20-10 type vision - Ted Williams (pretty fair pilot himself) and Babe Ruth - both could see the spin, and tip the type of pitch, as the ball left the pitcher's hand. Story about Ruth - he & some teammates were driving and one said (of a distant car) I wonder what state that car is from, I don't recognize the color, and it is too far away to read - Ruth immediately ID' d the state and read off the plate number - they caught up to it and he was dead on.
When an interviewer asked him about his combat air time in Europe, Yeager replied, "I was a 21 year old kid flying a 1500 h.p. plane that would fly at 500 m.p.h. It had six Browning .50 caliber machineguns. I was on top of the world".
He went to the danger zone. And had fun doing it.
ReplyDeleteIn retirement, he could go to any Air Force base anytime, and fly anything they had whenever he wanted to. He took an SR-71 for an afternoon jaunt to Alaska out of Beale when they still had Blackbirds there.
And he obviously flew the B-51 (behind him).
ReplyDeleteLooked that up. "XB51 was the best bomber to never fight."
DeleteElmo-- I never went into that Riebe's store, but during the late 90's I shot rifle matches at Nevada County Sportsman's Club. A few times Yeager came in and yakked with a white haired gent who worked the snack bar.
DeleteHis friend and co-combatant Bud Anderson just passed away at 102 yo.
ReplyDeleteThere were giants in those days.
Thanks for that. I hadn't heard.
DeletePassed away three days ago in his sleep, in his Auburn, CA home. That was the same town that he graduated from high school in.
What a life.
Bud and Chuck are once again flying in formation.
DeleteBack around 2011 I worked the retail floor at Huntington's in Oroville, CA. Now and then Yeager would drop in to visit Buzz Huntington. Yeager drove a white Dodge Dakota with the license plate "Bell X-1".
General Yeager was a good friend of Del Riebe, founder of Riebe's Auto Parts in Grass Valley, CA. He'd help the store out when he had time and felt the urge. Occasionally he'd make runs to Sacamento in a company pickup that was an old puke green Forest Service pickup.
DeleteCan you imagine diving down the freeway and noticing an old guy driving an old beater pickup, and then realizing that the 'old guy' was Chuck Yeager?
What a hoot.
Oops. My reply to Elmo wound up in the wrong spot.
DeleteProbably could have still been kicking but I read somewhere last week that he voluntarily stopped dialysis treatments.
DeleteBeing in the aviation world, I've met a large number of the greats, and yes, they all seem to have "that look", even as old men! These guys eventually admit they are not completely fearless. Instead, they'll talk about having some apprehension, but moving forward properly, with safety protocols in place, extensive training and the best equipment money could buy.
ReplyDeleteHad phenomenal vision, think it was 20-40 or better. Part of why he was an ace, could detect enemy planes long before his brother fighter pilots. Highly thought of here in WV.
ReplyDeleteTrue, although the numbers go the other way. IIRC, his vision was on the order of 20-15 or better. Here's another story--
DeleteYeager started out as an enlisted mechanic. His mechanical aptitude served him well throughout. On one mission, a fellow pilot's engine quit. Fortunately they were at altitude. Yeager cut his throttle and matched the other pilots glide. As they glided down, he got on the radio and talked the other pilot through a series of checks, finally discovering the the pilot had forgotten to switch fuel tanks. The pilot switched tanks and started his engine. By that time they were taking small arms fire from the ground. Rumor has it they set a new time to altitude record.
some of the other 'greats' had that 20-10 type vision - Ted Williams (pretty fair pilot himself) and Babe Ruth - both could see the spin, and tip the type of pitch, as the ball left the pitcher's hand. Story about Ruth - he & some teammates were driving and one said (of a distant car) I wonder what state that car is from, I don't recognize the color, and it is too far away to read - Ruth immediately ID' d the state and read off the plate number - they caught up to it and he was dead on.
DeleteI re-read his biography every few years and it’s just as great a story every time.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to find it.
DeleteI can also recommend Jimmy Doolittle's auto-biography... it's got a great title:
"I could never be that lucky again".
When an interviewer asked him about his combat air time in Europe, Yeager replied, "I was a 21 year old kid flying a 1500 h.p. plane that would fly at 500 m.p.h. It had six Browning .50 caliber machineguns. I was on top of the world".
DeleteHe's not fearless.
ReplyDeleteBut he had 12½ kills, became an ace in a single day, and he's better than you are.
And he knows it.