Chuck Yeager, the American pilot who became the first person to break the sound barrier, has died at the age of 97.
Born in West Virginia in 1923, Yeager enlisted in the air force at the beginning of the second world war and worked his way up to become a fighter pilot.
“It is [with] profound sorrow, I must tell you that my life love General Chuck Yeager passed just before 9 pm ET,” Victoria Yeager said in a tweet announcing his death on Monday night.
Fr @VictoriaYeage11 It is w/ profound sorrow, I must tell you that my life love General Chuck Yeager passed just before 9pm ET. An incredible life well lived, America’s greatest Pilot, & a legacy of strength, adventure, & patriotism will be remembered forever.
— Chuck Yeager (@GenChuckYeager) December 8, 2020