Legends of Airpower

Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager - World War II ace and the man who broke the sound barrier as depicted in screen classic "The Right Stuff." Chuck Yeager has had a bigger than life career, always poised on the edge of the envelope.

General Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr. - Commander of the famed Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. Under his leadership the men of the 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group became renowned for never losing a bomber they escorted, a feat unmatched during the war.

Major General William Mitchell - Father of America's - Billy Mitchell -modern Air Force, Billy Mitchell predicted the First World War with Germany, the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, and predicted that planes would fly at a thousand miles per hour. As a private in Cuba, he taught himself the basics of aeronautics from a book, but later learned to fly from Orville Wright.

Commander Randall Cunningham - Vietnam fighter ace and the pilot the movie "Top Gun" is based on. A Vietnam war volunteer, "Duke" Cunningham joined the Navy to do his part. He didn't know that he would make his first air kill in January of 1972 and would become the first ace of the war by May of the same year.

General James Harold Doolittle - World War II national hero as depicted in the movie, "30 Seconds Over Tokyo," Doolittle was the recipient of the Medal of Honor for the first bombing strike against mainland Japan, a holder of many early aircraft speed records, a corporate and military leader in aircraft development, and was instrumental in creating the U.S. Air Force as a separate service.

Colonel Francis S. Gabreski - Natural air warrior and one of a handful of fighter pilots who launched themselves against the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. Gabby went on to be the top ace in the European theater with 31 German kills in his P-47 Thunderbolt. He would then go to war in Korea to achieve ace status once again, this time in jet fighters.

Brigadier General James Stewart - Actor, warrior, and a great - Jimmy Stewart -American. He was America's leading man who wanted to serve his country during World War II. Jimmy Stewart was too thin to meet the Army Air Corps weight standards and stuffed himself for two days to just barely meet the standard. As a B-24 pilot, he built a reputation as a solid combat commander.

General Curtis Emerson LeMay - Was always the best bombardier, best navigator, and the best pilot in his unit. General LeMay developed the tactics to win wars from the air. He led the way as the Army Air Force smashed Germany, then Japan, achieving victory in World War II.

General Bernard Adolf Schriever - Developer of America's ballistic missile program and the Air Force's initial space program, he joined the Army in 1931 after graduating from Texas A&M University. Schriever was trained to fly in Texas in the early 30's and served in the 19th Bomb Group in the Southwest Pacific in the summer of 1942.

General Henry Harley Arnold - Leader of America's airpower assaults on Axis powers during World War II. Arnold was born in the age of horse and buggy and would lead America to the atomic age. He was taught to fly by Orville Wright and was schooled in air combat by Billy Mitchell. Hap Arnold took a nation unprepared for war to victory.

General Charles A. Horner - Vietnam War Veteran and the commander of 9th Air Force at Shaw AFB, SC who took his command to the desert in August of 1990. Chuck Horner commanded the largest, most accurate and effective air war in history.

General Russell E. Dougherty - Career officer who entered the Army Air Corps during World War II. A judge advocate in the late 40's, he left the legal world to fly bombers and refuelers. A planner in the joint arena for several tours, Russ Dougherty became the Commander-In-Chief of Strategic Air Command in 1974.

Colonel John Glenn - Marine aviator, the first American to orbit the earth, Mercury astronaut, U.S. Senator from Ohio, and Space Shuttle crew member at 77 years old. What else need be said? John Glenn is a true Legend of Airpower.