Chuck Yeager

For my work, I spent time staying at the hotel across from the Burbank airport. There you were on the grounds of Lockheed and the birthplace of one of my favorite World War II aircraft, the P-38. In fact, the crew at the hotel wore P-38 pins (that I would have loved to have).

I was there when famous pilot Chuck Yeager was trying to attempt an aircraft speed record. That Friday night I was having dinner in the hotel’s dinning room. Who was sitting across the room? Yes, there was the famous Chuck Yeager and his flight crew. My wife was with me and like Chuck Yeager is from West Virginia.

A little later, we were taking the elevator to my room. No, Chuck was not going up with us. However, his co-pilot was. We had a little conversation with the co-pilot. When we got off at our floor and the door shut, I shook my head. The co-pilot knew we had a West Virginia connection and I love airplanes. I could have easily given my name and room number to the co-pilot. I was to shy to have asked to meet Chuck Yeager.

As I write this, overlooking my desk is a model of Chuck Yeager’s World War II P-51 Mustang.