During his life, he gained notoriety as the first pilot to break the speed of sound. Yeager received a number of awards for his service to America, including the Bronze Star Medal, that Purple Heart, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. In 1985, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan. He was also inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1973. Famed military pilot Chuck Yeager died Dec. 7, 2020, at the age of 97.
