Herb Hoover | |
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Born | Herbert Henry Hoover May 18, 1912 |
Died | August 14, 1952 Burrowsville, Virginia, United States | (aged 40)
Cause of death | parachute didn't open after bailing out of the B-45A Tornado bomber exploded that he was piloting |
Education | University of Tennessee |
Occupation | experimental test pilot |
Known for | first civilian to break the sound barrier |
Awards | see Awards |
Herbert Henry Hoover (May 18, 1912 – August 14, 1952)[1] was an American NACA experimental test pilot who, on March 10, 1948, became the first civilian and second person to break the sound barrier,[2] a feat for which he was awarded the Air Medal "for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight." Hoover flew the iconic orange Bell X-1 during this historic flight. During his short career with NACA, Hoover completed more than a dozen supersonic flights.