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Eddie Rickenbacker. Edward Vernon Rickenbacker (born Edward Rickenbacher, October 8, 1890 – July 23, 1973) was an American fighter pilot in World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient. [1][2] With 26 aerial victories, he was the most successful and most decorated United States flying ace of the war. [3]
Jun 12, 2006 · Learn about the life and achievements of Edward Rickenbacker, the highest scoring American pilot in World War I. From his humble beginnings as a race car driver to his daring feats in the air, he survived 135 near-death experiences and became a successful businessman.
nationalvmm.org · captain-eddie-rickenbacker-anCaptain Eddie Rickenbacker: An Inspiring Story of ...
Apr 29, 2020 · Learn about the life and achievements of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, a Columbus native who became a legendary race car driver and fighter pilot in WWI. He survived multiple crashes, rescued survivors, and founded Eastern Airlines.
After WWI Rickenbacker returned to auto racing and became president of the Indianapolis Speedway. He moved back into aviation and built up Eastern Air Lines into one of the commercial giants. On the last day of 1963, Captain Eddie retired as Eastern's Board Chairman, more than 40 years after his glory days over France.
- Eddie Rickenbacker’s Early Life
- Fighting in World War I
- Eddie Rickenbacker Becomes America’s Top World War I Flying Ace
- A Natural Pilot
- Eastern Air Lines and Another Brush with Death
- Surviving Being Adrift at Sea
- Eddie Rickenbacker’s Trip to The Soviet Union and Later Life
Edward Rickenbacker was born on October 8, 1890, to Swiss immigrants in Columbus, Ohio. He was the third-oldest of seven children in the Rickenbacker household. The family lived in poverty for most of Eddie’s younger years. Then, in 1904, when Eddie was 13 years old, his father William Rickenbacker suddenly died in a construction accident. Eddie wa...
After America officially entered World War I in 1917, Eddie Rickenbacker immediately joined the army as a mechanic and automobile driver for Gen. John J. Pershing. However, he quickly switched his sights to the fledgling U.S. Army Air Service. After just 5 1/2 hours of flying with an instructor, Rickenbacker flew solo. Despite his lack of a college...
On April 29, 1918, Eddie Rickenbacker shot down his first enemy aircraft. By the end of May, he scored five individual victories to earn him the official title of “ace,” as well as the French Croix de Guerre. After his sixth score on May 30, an ear infection grounded the pilot until July 31. The last half of September 1918 was Eddie Rickenbacker’s ...
Eddie Rickenbacker’s secret was simple: “The experienced fighting pilot does not take unnecessary risk. His business is to shoot down enemy planes, not get shot down.” Rickenbacker learned that the best way to take down enemy planes was to sneak up on them. Once he determined their position, he came down from above with the sun behind him. Enemy pl...
Eddie Rickenbacker retired from the military after World War I. Although he was promoted to major, he chose to keep the title of captain. In his own words, “I felt that my rank of captain was earned and deserved.” Consequently, he was referred to as “Captain Rickenbacker” or “Captain Eddie” by the public. This may have been a good time to settle do...
Despite his ordeal, Rickenbacker was determined to continue living his active, often-dangerous life. He raised support for Britain during the Second World War, toured military bases in England and the United States, and even used his airline to support the war effort. Then, in October 1942, as Rickenbacker was on the way to New Guinea to inspect th...
Not long after his rescue, Rickenbacker continued his touring mission to promote the war effort. Then, in 1943, he went on a 55,000-mile trip to Russia, inspecting how the ally was using American equipment and offering his military advice. He returned to the U.S. with vital military intelligence. By this point, “Captain Eddie” was so popular that m...
- William Delong
Apr 27, 2023 · Learn about the life and achievements of Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, who shot down 26 German aircraft and balloons in World War I and became a successful businessman and racer. Read his memoirs and a fictional biography for more details.
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Sep 17, 2024 · In the final six weeks of the war, Rickenbacker shot down 15 aircraft and was promoted to the rank of Captain. When the war ended on November 11, 1918, Rickenbacker had shot down 26 enemy aircraft, a record for an American aviator that stood until Richard Bong was credited with shooting down 40 Japanese aircraft during WWII.
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