U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, today issued the following statement on the passing of Chuck Yeager, a decorated U.S. Army and Air Force veteran who became the first pilot to break the supersonic barrier:
“Chuck lived an exceptional life and his many contributions to aviation and space will be long lasting. His story showcased the best of the American spirit, courageously flying missions in World War II for the Army Air Corps and surviving being shot down by German war planes. He went on to become the first pilot to break the sound barrier in 1947, breaking barriers for all subsequent generations of airmen and cementing his legacy as a true American hero. Chuck’s long, full life is memorialized as having ‘The Right Stuff,’ and the American air and space sector owes a huge debt of gratitude to this fearless pioneer.”
