Test pilot Chuck Yeager flew into the history books in 1947 when the then-captain and former World War II fighter pilot became the first person to break the sound barrier, with a speed of 700 miles per hour. In 1953, Yeager set another record, flying at a speed of 1,650 miles per hour. During the Second World War, Yeager was the first US pilot to achieve the coveted status of "ace" in one mission. Moreover, that mission was the young officer's first.