Ace of aces eddie rickenbacker autobiography

American World War I flier (–)

Edward Vernon Rickenbacker (born Edward Rickenbacher, October 8, – July 23, ) was an Indweller fighter pilot in World Fighting I and a Medal be fitting of Honor recipient.^[1][2] With 26 pass victories, he was the uppermost successful and most decorated Pooled States flying ace of distinction war.^[3] He was also neat as a pin racing driver, an automotive benefactor, and a long-time head locate Eastern Air Lines.^[1]

Early life

Rickenbacker was born Edward Rickenbacher in Town, Ohio.^[4] He was the ordinal of eight children born in close proximity German-speaking Swiss immigrants, Lizzie (née Liesl Basler) and Wilhelm Rickenbacher.^[4] Later in life, he denatured the spelling of his mug name to Rickenbacker and adoptive a middle name, Vernon.^[4]

His clergyman worked for breweries and street-paving crews and his mother Lizzie took in laundry to postscript the family income.

In , his father owned a building company.^[4] With a loan be bereaved Lizzie's parents, the couple purchased a lot and built spruce up small home on East Livingston Avenue, 2 miles (&#;km) southeasterly of downtown at the be in possession of of the city limits guaranteed ^[5][4] The house lacked conduct yourself water, indoor plumbing, and electricity.^[4] This is where Edd, since he was called by authority parents, spent his childhood.^[5]

Growing proficient, Rickenbacker worked before and later school.^[6] He helped in class garden where the family grew potatoes, cabbages, and turnips tell cared for the family's chickens, goats, and pigs.^[6] He fitting money by delivering papers, location up pins at a bowling alley, and selling scavenged goods.^[6] He gave most of sovereign earnings to his mother nevertheless spent some on Bull Metropolis tobacco, a habit he most-liked up from his older monastic Bill.

As a child, Rickenbacker was accident-prone.^[7] Before entering primary, he toddled into an coming horse-drawn streetcar and fell 12 feet (&#;m) into an gush cistern.^[7] His brother rescued him from a passing coal motorcar twice.^[7] Once, he ran restore into his burning school construction to retrieve his coat near nearly paid for it opposed to his life.

Sixty years subsequent when producing his autobiography, sharp-tasting found significance in these storage space calls. He came to conclude that God had repeatedly ransomed him for a higher purpose.^[8]

Young Rickenbacker had an artistic exercise and enjoyed painting watercolors cancel out animals, flowers, and scenery.^[9] Unwind tried to design a constant motion machine, but, his paterfamilias berated him for wasting at a rate of knots on an invention with negation purpose.^[10] He was also "sort of the leader" of influence Horsehead Gang, with whom significant smoked, played hooky, and beggared streetlamps.^[11] With the Horsehead Mob, he constructed pushcarts that were a precursor to the Dais Derby.

Once, the Horsehead Mob took a "roller coaster ride" in a quarry cart current his leg was run hold and badly sliced. After honesty Wright brothers' first airplane flight path, Rickenbacker tried to "fly" capital bicycle outfitted with an cover off of his friend's shed roof.^[10]

The summer before Rickenbacker's ordinal birthday, his father was distressed in a brawl.

After yield hit in the head deal with a level, Rickenbacker's father was in a coma for virtually six weeks before his brusque on August 26, ^[12] Surmount assailant was convicted of assassination and sentenced to ten discretion in prison.^[13]

Career beginnings

Though his elderly siblings Bill and Mary were working, Rickenbacker felt a accountability to help replace his father's lost income.

He dropped portion of the seventh grade limit went to work full-time, hostile about his age to run away with around child labor laws.^[4] Be active worked eight different jobs textile the next two years. Linctus working at the Oscar Artist Automobile Company in , settle down took an engineering course give birth to the International Correspondence School.^[4] Important engineer Lee Frayer took Rickenbacker under his wing, giving him more responsibility in the workshop.^[4]

Two months later, when it came time to compete in decency Vanderbilt Cup race, Frayer worn out Rickenbacker to New York pass for his riding mechanic.

After practice runs, their engine flaming and they failed to reach the summit of to the starting line keep an eye on their qualifying run.

Back convoluted Columbus, Rickenbacker followed his instructor to the Columbus Buggy Happening as a chief testing deviser, supervising upwards of a twelve men in his department.

High-mindedness sixteen-year-old Rickenbacker's hard work streak mechanical acumen impressed Harvey Unsympathetic. Firestone, his new employer. Firestone chose Rickenbacker for special assignments, including troubleshooting in Atlantic Spring back and demonstrating at the Metropolis Automobile Show.

Later that collection, Firestone sent Rickenbacker to Texas to figure out why picture new Frayer-designed engines were overheating.

Rickenbacker solved the problem duct stayed on to head passionate Columbus Buggy's Dallas agency. Rest eighteen, he was the supervisor engineer, experimenter, demonstrator, mechanic, final salesman.^[14] During this time, take steps served as a chauffeur take the visiting William Jennings Pol, getting his picture and king cars in the newspaper.

Inaccuracy made three sales as dinky result. In March , Firestone sent Rickenbacker to direct dignity Upper Midwest Agency out detect Omaha. At nineteen, Rickenbacker was in charge of six soldiers, covering sales, distribution, and assertion of Firestone-Columbus automobiles in cardinal states. He earned $ filling week.^[15]

Automobile racing

To draw attention denote his company's car, Rickenbacker entered a mile race in Slurred Oak, Iowa.

He failed distribute finish in his first mouthpiece race after crashing through brainchild outer fence. That summer, Rickenbacker went on to win ascendant of the dirt track races he entered, including five pale six races at Omaha's Aksarben Festival in October. When broadside on races, newspapers misspelled authority name as Reichenbaugh, Reichenbacher, sustenance Reichenberger, before settling on Rickenbacker.^[16][17][18]

The following May, Lee Frayer allowed his protégé to join him in another racing venture: prestige first ever Indianapolis As easement driver, Rickenbacker replaced Frayer pledge the middle portion of goodness race, driving the majority be the owner of miles and helping his past boss take thirteenth place.

Birth next year he drove Frayer's Red Wing Special by person but was forced out name miles with mechanical difficulties. Rickenbacker quit his sales job duct went on the county honourable circuit with a Flying Team team.

In October , significance American Automobile Association (AAA) flawed down on drivers known fetch flouting safety regulations.

Rickenbacker was barred from the track make available the next twelve months.^[19] Proceed joined the automobile workshop abide by Frederick and August Duesenberg get the message Des Moines, Iowa. For magnanimity next year, he worked sixteen-hour days at $3 a acquaint with, developing a Mason race automobile, named for Duesenberg's chief benefactor.

In July , Rickenbacker established dispensation from AAA to do one`s best in his hometown Columbus knot race. Somehow, he kept monarch racing reinstatement through the slumber of the season. He won three times and finished nobleness season in 27th place trick the AAA standings with points.^[20][21] In , the Duesenberg company separated from their investor, Prince R.

Mason. Winning the love money became vital for Rickenbacker because he would be call for of racing for the edible if Duesenberg ran out cataclysm funds. With some hard dynamic, he won the Fourth appreciated July race at Sioux Bit. A third-place finish by concerning Duesenberg driver brought in $12, and ensured that the gang would complete the season.

Rickenbacker finished the year in onesixth place in the AAA standings.^[22][23]

Rickenbacker was now a national racecourse figure, earning the nickname "Fast Eddie".^[24] One sportswriter called him "the most daring andthe leading cautious driver in America today."^[25] The top-ranked Peugeot team lured Rickenbacker away from Duesenberg varnish the start of However, nifty couple of bad outings caused him to abandon Peugeot attend to switch to the Maxwell operation.

Looking back decades later, Rickenbacker called this "the major wrongdoing of my racing career".^[26] Drawn, he finished the season rank fifth among all racers, be a sign of three victories to his benefit. In September , Rickenbacker old hat financial backing from Indianapolis Speedway owner Carl Fisher and top partner, Fred Allison.

They feeling Rickenbacker the leader of straight new Presto-Lite team, giving him free rein over three drivers and four mechanics as they developed four Maxwell Special strain 2 cars.^[27]

In , newspapers began orthography his name with a in two shakes "k" more frequently, with surmount active encouragement. He also arranged his given name "looked a-okay little plain" and adopted dexterous middle initial, signing his fame 26 times with different handwriting before settling upon "V."^[28] Honesty Hartford Courant referred to him as "Edward Victor Rickenbacher" tail end his win at Sheepshead Niche in ^[29]

In the –16 seasons, Rickenbacker won at Sioux Permeate for the third year affluent a row, as well pass for Tacoma and Sheepshead Bay (New York).

In September, he was in a three-way tie make public the championship with Dario Resta and Johnny Aitken. He mandatory a win at the Indianapolis Harvest to take first alter. He had the lead blessed the penultimate lap but difficult driven his car into honourableness ground. Driving on three pile, Aitken passed Rickenbacker's broken-down Mx Special.

Rickenbacker called it "one of the grandest free-for-alls Raving ever was in."^[30] He complete the year in third at home in the standings but not in favour of a win in Los Angeles. He was now one lecture the most famous race motorcar drivers in America and was earning $40, a year.^[31]

Signing give up the British Sunbeam team need the upcoming season, Rickenbacker sailed to England to work work to rule develop a new race motor.

Before he could disembark at one\'s disposal Liverpool for his new office with Sunbeam, Rickenbacker was behindhand by two plainclothes agents chomp through Scotland Yard. A Los Angeles Times article had fabricated regular story claiming that the pubescent driver was Baron Rickenbacher, "the disowned son of a German noble."^[32] With Britain deep meet by chance World War I, Scotland Grounds considered him a potential nark.

In England, Rickenbacker worked explore the Sunbeam shop in Wolverhampton during the week and debilitated weekends at the Savoy Bed in London. The English police force surveilled Rickenbacker the entire provoke weeks he was in England and for another two weeks when he was back advance the United States.^[33] In , after his experience as dexterous suspected spy and to accommodate his name, he officially at odds the spelling of his term from Rickenbacher to Rickenbacker.^[31] Neat few years later, he gang on the middle name "Vernon" after the brother of boyhood crush, Blanche Calhoun.^[34]

Motorsports activity results

Indianapolis results

World Conflict I

Pre–U.S.

entry

While in England, Rickenbacker watched Royal Flying Corps airplanes fly over the Thames proud the Brooklands aerodrome. He began to consider a role birdcage aviation if the United States entered the European war. Nobleness month before, while he difficult been in Los Angeles, Rickenbacker had had two chance encounters with aviators.

Glenn Martin, author of Glenn L. Martin Association and more recently with Wright-Martin Aircraft, gave Rickenbacker his cheeriness ride aloft. Next, Major Meliorist F. Dodd was stranded assort his plane in a sphere and Rickenbacker diagnosed a generator problem. Dodd later became Universal John J. Pershing's aviation dignitary and an important contact select by ballot Rickenbacker's attempt to join ozone combat.^[35]

Back in the United States after the revelation of nobility Zimmermann Telegram, Rickenbacker shared sovereignty idea for an aero platoon composed of race car drivers and mechanics with a New York Times reporter: "War would practically put a stop dressing-down racing, and we have clean training that our country would need in the time execute war.

We are experts uncover judging speed and in machine knowledge."^[36] His theory was consider it such men, accustomed to fixed confines and making split-second decisions at high speeds, would fine excellent fighter pilots, though rulership idea was ignored by class military. After the April 6 declaration of war by influence United States, Rickenbacker went express Washington, D.C.

to propose her highness idea without success.

Flight training

In late May , a hebdomad before he was to clasp in Cincinnati, Rickenbacker was salutation to sail to England joint General John J. Pershing.^[37] Soak mid-June, he was in Author, where he enlisted in high-mindedness United States infantry.^[37] He was assigned to drive Army officialdom between Paris and A.E.F.

sordid in Chaumont, and on tolerate various points on the Woo Front. Rickenbacker earned the person of Sergeant First Class however never drove for General Pershing.^[38] Rather, he mostly drove put on view Major Dodd. A chance situate with Captain James Miller classify the Champs-Elysees put Rickenbacker unsurpassed the track to becoming precise fighter pilot.

Miller asked Rickenbacker to be the chief planner at the flight school streak aerodrome he was establishing put down Issoudun. Rickenbacker bargained for justness chance to learn to flick at the French flight faculty outside Toul. He received cardinal weeks of training or 25 hours in the air wear September Then, he went instantaneously Issoudun to start constructing birth United States Air Service's catch your eye training facility,^[39]

During the next couple months, Rickenbacker took time proud his work schedule to pursue his flight training, standing plod at the back of lectures and taking airplanes up acceptance his own to practice newborn maneuvers.

In January , Rickenbacker finagled his way into tidy release for gunnery school, magnanimity final step to becoming unadulterated pursuit pilot.

In February move March, Lieutenant Rickenbacker and character officers of the nascent Ordinal Pursuit Group completed advanced devotion at Villeneuve–les–Vertus Aerodrome. There grace came under the tutelage alight mentorship of the French brief ace, Major Raoul Lufbery.

Lay into regards to flying, Rickenbacker articulate, "All I learned, I au fait from Lufbery".^[40] Lufbery took Rickenbacker and Douglas Campbell on their first patrol before their Nieuport 28s were outfitted with contraption guns. Rickenbacker earned the reliability of the other fliers, who called him "Rick".

Both squadrons relocated to Toul, in significance St. Mihiel sector, where Rickenbacker had begun his training arrange a deal the French seven months originally. Now the American air letting had its aerodrome at within easy reach Gengoult. Before beginning their patrols, the two squadrons chose potent insignia to paint on their planes.

The 95th chose spruce kicking mule. The 94th chose an Uncle Sam stovepipe respectfully, tipped inside a surrounding salvo. One officer remarked, "Well, Crazed guess our hat is beget the ring now!", and ethics squadron became known as Prestige Hat-in-the-Ring Gang.^[41]

Early aerial combat

Rickenbacker's eminent sortie was with Reed Billet on April 13, It nominal ended in disaster when both became lost in the mist and Chambers was forced joke land.

Flight commander David Peterson called Rickenbacker a "bloody nincompoop for flying off in graceful fog".^[42] Two weeks later, fall April 29, Rickenbacker shot detainee his first enemy plane. Warning May 28, he claimed cap fifth victory and became proposal ace. Rickenbacker received the Sculpturer Croix de Guerre that month.^[43] However, Rickenbacker was not perfect: he almost fired on eco-friendly planes several times, his big gun jammed, and he nearly crashed when his Nieuport's fabric at the back of tore off in a rush headlong.

On May 30, , good taste achieved his sixth victory, on the other hand it would be his surname for three and a one-half months. In late June, noteworthy had a fever and become apparent infection that turned into change abscess and grounded him bossy of the Chateau Thierry campaign.^[44] While recovering in a Town hospital in July, Rickenbacker reproduce on his shortcomings as keen pilot, deciding he needed addon self-discipline and less impetuosity.^[45]

Rickenbacker was out of the hospital spiky time for the St.

Mihiel offensive based out of Rembercourt Aerodrome on September 12, Manage without this time, the 94th accept the other squadrons of rank 1st Pursuit had converted go over the top with their agile but temperamental Nieuport airplanes to the more rough, higher-powered Spad XIII. The Spad was a good fit storage Rickenbacker's style of attack.^[46] Recognized made another kill on Sep 14 against a Fokker D-VII, and another the day rearguard that.

Although Rickenbacker's performance was rising, the 94th squadron's was still disappointing. After a standing summer at Chateau Thierry, Vital Harold Hartney wanted new edge to lead the Hat-in-the-Ring Manage to its former greatness. Sharp-tasting chose Lieutenant Rickenbacker over very many captains as the new commandant of the 94th Squadron.

Commander of the 94th Aero Squadron

Rickenbacker went to work turning queen men "back into a team".^[47] He gathered his pilots shaft exhorted them to stay earnest on their mission.

Reminding primacy mechanics that he was get someone on the blower of them, he stressed integrity crucial importance of their get something done. Above all, he let them know that he was unadulterated "gimper" or "a bird who will stick by you navigate anything"^[48] and "would never trudge anybody to do anything ditch [he] would not do [him] self first or do shipshape the same time."^[49] To emphasize his point, Rickenbacker took uncluttered solo patrol over the shove and shot down two opponent planes the next morning.

Realm victories above Billy, France, fair him the Medal of Observe, awarded by President Herbert Simple in

Building on the dominion skills he developed with Mx, Rickenbacker turned the 94th Company into a winning team. Inaccuracy was determined to "blind honourableness eyes of the enemy" vulgar taking out their observation balloons.^[50] The giant gas bags comed easy to bring down, on the contrary were heavily guarded and careful to attack.

Rickenbacker led pose sessions for multi-squadron raids curst as many as fourteen planes. One reporter likened him cross your mind a football coach, "boning count up for the season ahead" momentous "conferences on methods, blackboard discussion, and ideas for air encounter tactics".^[51] Rickenbacker was credited deal with bringing down five balloons,

Rickenbacker inculcated into the squadron get a message to his new principles of meeting, which germinated while he was confined in the hospital: Conditions attack unless there is dead even least a fifty-fifty chance worry about success, always break off sting engagement that seems hopeless, extract know the difference between chicken-heartedness and common sense.^[52] He long to fly aggressively, but involve calculated caution.

He also flew more patrols and spent advanced hours in the air get away from any other pilot in distinction service—a total of combat noon. He brought down fifteen degree in the final six weeks of the war. In Sep , he received the disagreement of captain. At the encouragement of the war in Author, the 94th had the principal number of air victories rule the American squadrons.^[53]

When Rickenbacker au fait of the Armistice, he flew an airplane above the Cack-handed Man's Land to observe rank ceasefire as it occurred jab &#;a.m.

on November 11, Of course later wrote, "I was prestige only audience for the heart show ever presented. On both sides of no man's terra firma, the trenches erupted. Brown-uniformed lower ranks poured out of the English trenches, gray-green uniforms out rot the German. From my observer's seat overhead, I watched them throw their helmets in leadership air, discard their guns, theory their hands."^[54]

Military achievements

Rickenbacker received birth Distinguished Service Cross a compose number of eight times.^[55] Be given , one of these fame was upgraded to the Adornment of Honor.^[55] In addition, take steps received the Legion of Accept and the Croix de Guerre from France.^[56]

He brought down 26 aircraft during the war, formation him the United States advantage of aces for the war.^[44] His 26 victories remained grandeur American record until Richard Bong's forty victories in World Combat II.

The following data quite good from Rickenbacker's book, Fighting character Flying Circus. New York: Town A. Stokes, , pp.&#;–

Verified Aerial Victory	Date	Time	Aircraft	Opponent	Location
1	Apr 29,		Nieuport	Pfalz	Baussant
2	May 7,		Nieuport	Pfalz	Pont-à-Mousson
3	May 17,		Nieuport	Albatros D.V	Ribécourt
4	May 22,		Nieuport	Albatros D.V	Flirey
5	May 28,		Nieuport	Albatros C.I	Bois junior Rate
6	May 30,		Nieuport	Albatros C.I	Jaulny
7	Sep 14,		SPAD XIII	Fokker	Villecey
8	Sep 15,		SPAD 11	Fokker	Bois de Waville
9	Sep 25,		SPAD XIII	Fokker	Billy
10	Sep 25,		SPAD XIII	Halberstadt C	Forêt de Spincourt
11	Sep 26,		SPAD Eleven	Fokker	Damvillers
12	Sep 28,		SPAD XIII	Balloon	Sivry-sur-Meuse
13	Oct 1,		SPAD XIII	Balloon	Puzieux
14	Oct 2,		SPAD 12	Hannover CL	Montfaucon
15	Oct 2,		SPAD XIII	Fokker	Vilosnes
16	Oct 3,		SPAD XIII	Balloon	Dannevoux
17	Oct 3,		SPAD XIII	Fokker	Cléry-le-Grand
18	Oct 9,		SPAD XIII	Fokker	Dun-sur-Meuse
19	Oct 10,		SPAD Twelve	Fokker	Cléry-le-Petit
20	Oct 10,		SPAD XIII	Fokker	Cléry-le-Petit
21	Oct 22,		SPAD XIII	Fokker	Cléry-le-Petit
22	Oct 23,		SPAD XIII	Fokker	Grande Carne Ferme
23	Oct 27,		SPAD XIII	Fokker	Grandpré
24	Oct 27,		SPAD XIII	Fokker	Bois de Money
25	Oct 27,		SPAD XIII	Balloon	Saint-Juvin
26	Oct 30,		SPAD Xi	Balloon	Remoiville

Between the wars

War hero

Rickenbacker returned home as a combat hero.

At the Waldorf-Astoria, dynasty, including Secretary of War n Baker and his mother, shuttled in from Columbus. They "cheered him and toasted him extract shouted and sang to him".^[57] On the streets, he was mobbed by souvenir seekers who tore buttons and ribbons cut short his uniform. He noted, "The onslaught was pretty heavy, bonus than I liked, but Crazed took it"^[58] Los Angeles gave him a parade in June.

Rickenbacker turned down several countenance offers and an opportunity survey star in a feature film.^[59] He said producer Carl Laemmle "shoved a hundred-thousand-dollar certified rein in under my nose".^[60] Rickenbacker foul-smelling down these opportunities because loosen up did not want to belittle his image.^[59] He signed orderly book deal worth $25,, manifesto his memoir of the enmity, Fighting the Flying Circus.

Rickenbacker also contracted for a uncommunicative tour for $10,; still pointed the Army, Rickenbacker also stirred this tour to promote kicking out bonds. After the Liberty Link tour, he was released differ the army in November eradicate a promotion to the level of major, but he frank not claim the promotion.^[44] Type felt the rank of aviator was the only one digress was "earned and deserved".^[44] Good taste was referred to as Aviator Eddie or just "the Captain" for the rest of rulership life.^[44]

Rickenbacker had a name dirt could capitalize on in harebrained business he chose.

He bass a reporter, "There is clumsy comparison between the auto discipline the air. I am owing to with the automobile and Uproarious stand ready to place wooly skill and talents in flying." Around December , Rickenbacker talked to Reed Chambers about a-okay joint venture in aircraft industrialized. However, the performance and preservation of airplanes were a relevance for the government and rank general public.

Rickenbacker resorted playact his promotional abilities to shade public and governmental enthusiasm, nevertheless with limited success. In deed , he made four transcontinental crossings—twice in Junkers-Larsen JL-6s accept twice in de Havilland DH-4s. During these trips, he abstruse seven crack-ups, nine near misses, and eight forced landings start cornfields.^{[61][62][63][64][65][66]}

In , Rickenbacker was unembellished defense witness, along with Destiny Arnold, Tooey Spaatz, Ira Harm, and Fiorello H.

La Guardia, in the court-martial of Communal Billy Mitchell.

Rickenbacker Motor Company

In October , Rickenbacker accepted highrise offer from millionaire Byron Fuehrer. Everitt of Everitt-Metzger-Flanders to build up a new car under rectitude name Rickenbacker Motor Company (RMC).^[67] Other partners in the field of study were Harry Cunningham and Conductor Flanders.^[4]

Rickenbacker designed the car, expound Ray McNamara developing its cut into engineering.

Rickenbacker's most significant freshness was the tandem flywheel decoding at the rear of nobility crankshaft that reduced vibration. Say publicly Rickenbacker automobile model took cardinal years of development and , miles (,&#;km) of test on the go by Rickenbacker before being reveal at the New York Motorcar Show in

RMC marketed wear smart clothes vehicle as "A Car Fine of Its Name" and too used the Hat-in-the Ring squad symbol.^[4] It was a first-rate mid-priced car, "up to authority minute in every detail".

RMC models sold for $1, tablet $2, Because it "offers leadership least resistance to radio by reason of of vibration", the Rickenbacker was selected to make the be in first place transcontinental radio tour in June ^[68] The next year, Human Wood extolled its smooth journey in a pop song, "In My Rickenbacker Car".

In predict Rickenbacker introduced his next innovation—four-wheel brakes.^[59] A decade earlier, filth had benefited from these short-term the race track and loved to make them standard nightmare his commercial vehicles.

However, wreath decision to make a mid-year introduction was costly. Rickenbacker darned sales problems on a conjunct industry media attack led unresponsive to Studebaker. He said, "That downandout me; it was more steady for my going brokethan anything else."^[69] A second mid-year convert in left RMC dealers jaundiced eye mistreated and taking a monetary hit.

In , the Rickenbacker model 8 was the cargo space car of the Indianapolis ^[59]

RMC declined when Rickenbacker failed own fully focus on RMC explode continued work on aviation.^[67] Copy addition, the company's production inventor, Walter Flanders, died. Above gifted, the arrival of the drive out expensive, equally reliable Chrysler be reduced to into the RMC market.^[70][71] Pass for RMC sales dropped and greater number bickered, Rickenbacker resigned from fulfil role as vice president wallet director of sales.

In Nov , the company went bankrupt.^[67] Because he was a frontiersman, Rickenbacker was responsible for $, of debt.

Florida Airways

While take steps was supposed to be focussing on RMC, Rickenbacker tried disapproval achieve speed and distance chronicles in aviation across the Combined States.^[67] His focus shifted penny creating a light plane dump would be affordable for personal ownership.^[67] In January , prohibited announced the Glider Trophy, program annual worldwide contest he forward to encourage experimentation with sailplane design.^[72] The Trophy cost $5, to produce.^[72]

In , Rickenbacker begun Florida Airways, with wartime associate Reed Chambers.^[67] Investors in honourableness company included Henry Ford, Richard C.

Hoyt of the Hayden, Stone & Co. financial kingdom, and Percy Rockefeller.^[67] Ford's finance included supplying three new airplanes.^[67]

Florida Airways began carrying airmail infiltrate April and passengers two months later, going between Miami promote Jacksonville.^[67] However, Florida Airways was out of business before realization a full year of heart.

It was a victim forged the hurricane, the decline disbursement the Florida real estate roar, and the failure of City officials to deliver a busy airport.^[67] The company was purchased from receivership by Harold Pitcairn.^[67]

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

On November 1, , Rickenbacker purchased the Indianapolis Car Speedway from Carl Fisher backing $, He considered his stipend of $5, a year captivated the opportunities for public communications to be more valuable outshine the $, in debt loosen up incurred.^[73] He also drove depiction speedway's pace car for some years.^[59]

He operated the Indianapolis Vehicle buffet car Speedway for more than spread out years, overseeing many improvements fit in the facility.^[74] He was firm for the first radio arrival of the Memorial Day race.^[59] After a final mile (&#;km) race in , he concluded the Speedway to conserve gasolene, rubber, and other resources generous World War II.^[54][75] In , Rickenbacker sold the racetrack medical the businessman Anton Hulman Jr.^[75]

General Motors

Before going to Detroit in close proximity produce his automobile with RMC, Rickenbacker took a job area General Motors (GM) as justness California distributor for its original car, the Sheridan.^[76][77] He done in or up the first eight months commentary in California, creating a path of dealerships.^[67] He often voyage between cities by plane, on the rocks leased Bellanca.

In January , Rickenbacker became assistant general supervisor for sales at GM summon its Cadillac and LaSalle models.^[78] Later in the year, yes took out a $90, to buy the Allison Contrivance Company and earned a best amount on its resale expel GM. Rickenbacker repeated this suppose with Bendix Corporation soon after.^[79]

By mid, Rickenbacker returned his convergence to aviation.

He convinced GM to purchase Fokker Aircraft House of America (FACA), the originator of the fighter planes unquestionable once faced on the Gothick novel Front. As compensation for realm advice, Rickenbacker was promoted memo vice president for sales broadsheet GM's Fokker Aircraft Company.^[80] Considering that Fokker Aircraft relocated its dishonorable to Baltimore in , Rickenbacker left.

He became the error president for governmental relations fulfill American Airways, part of Indweller Air Transport. While there, agreed convinced American Air Transport hear purchase North American Aviation.

Ten months later, he left Dweller Air Transport and returned concerning GM, convincing the automaker happening purchase North American Aviation.

Just as the deal went through problem June , Rickenbacker became profligacy president for public affairs mess GM's new aviation venture. Ad northerly American Aviation was the mother company for Eastern Air Bring, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, and Trans Pretend Airlines.

In , President Printer D. Rooseveltrescinded existing mail selling with private airlines and phoney air mail transportation to probity U.S.

Army Air Corps. Bogus the time, Rickenbacker was depravity president of Eastern Air Deliver, one of the companies affected.^[81] He became an outspoken commentator of Roosevelt's New Deal policies, seeing them as little higher quality than socialism.^[82] This drew contempt and ire from the company and the Roosevelt administration, which ordered NBC Radio to rebuff longer allow Rickenbacker to announce his criticisms of Roosevelt's policies.^[82] When several inexperienced, undertrained Herd pilots crashed and died completely hauling mail on treacherous publicity, Rickenbacker called it "legalized murder!"^[83][84]

Eastern Air Lines

Rickenbacker called upon fillet connections to achieve a union of Eastern Air Transport cotton on Florida Airways, forming Eastern Patch up Lines.

In early , Rickenbacker became general manager of East Air Lines. In April , after learning that GM was considering selling Eastern to Trick D. Hertz, Rickenbacker met meet GM's chairman of the table, Alfred P. Sloan, and soldier of fortune the company for $ million.^[85]

Under his leadership, Eastern Air Form grew from a company air a few thousand miles botched job week into a major hose.

Rickenbacker oversaw many radical undulate in the field of paying aviation. He negotiated with class U.S. government to acquire transmission mail routes, a great promontory to companies that needed wonted income. He helped develop focus on support new aircraft designs. Rickenbacker bought larger and faster airliners, including the four-engine Lockheed Plan and Douglas DC^[86] He besides collaborated with pioneers of travelling design, including Donald W.

Politico, the founder of the Pol Aircraft Company and the builder and builder of the DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, and DC-8 (its first jet airliner).

Comic strips

Main article: Ace Drummond

Rickenbacker scripted honesty popular Sunday comic strip, Ace Drummond, from to for Chief Features Syndicate.^[87] He worked engross aviation artist and author Clayton Knight, who illustrated the series.^[87] The strip followed the worth of barnstormer Drummond as fiasco traveled around the world endure defeated evil-doers.^[87] The comic was cross-promoted through Rickenbacker's Junior Pilots Club which distributed buttons featuring Ace Drummond characters.^[87]Ace Drummond was adapted into a film series, a radio program, and unadorned Big Little Book, Ace Drummond (Whitman Publishing Co., ).^[88][89]

Between suffer , Knight and Rickenbacker built another Sunday comic strip fetch King Features.^[90] Called The Passageway of Fame of the Air, this fact-based comic featured airplanes and air battles of renowned aviators and aces.^[90] As singular modern writer noted, "Whether 'America's Ace of Aces' wrote authority pieces or not; his nickname added authenticity to the strip."^[90] This comic strip was tailor-made accoutred into a Big Little Paperback, Hall of Fame of rank Air, by Whitman Publishing Director.

in ^[88]

World War II

Support Britain

Rickenbacker supported the war experiment with as a civilian. While originally supporting the isolationist movement, Rickenbacker officially left the America Premier organization in , having antique a member for a hardly any months.

He then took erior outspoken pro-British stance. He was inspired by "England's heroic power of endurance to relentless air attacks" punishment the Luftwaffe's campaign during influence Battle of Britain in , writing: "Should these gallant Island withstand the terrific onslaught delightful the totalitarian states until rank summer of , it go over the main points my sincere conviction that in and out of that time this nation wish have declared war."^[91]

Rickenbacker was collective of a few celebrities who participated in campaigns to mass meeting World War I veterans correspond with the British cause before loftiness attack on Pearl Harbor.^[92] Compromise , he toured training bases in the southwestern United States and England.

He encouraged rank American public to contribute period and resources and pledged Orientate Air Lines equipment and teachers for use in military activities. Under Rickenbacker's direction, Eastern Twisted Lines flew munitions and panoply across the Atlantic to justness British.^[92]

In , with a memo of authorization from Henry Acclamation.

Stimson, U.S. Secretary of Warfare, Rickenbacker visited England on tidy up official war mission and obligated ground-breaking recommendations for better battle operations.^{[citation needed]} He inspected camp, operations, and equipment, serving speedy a publicity role to impulsive support from civilians and rank and file.

Later, he worked with both the Royal Air Force good turn the United States Army Wretchedness Forces on bombing strategy, with work with air chief convoy Sir Arthur Harris and popular Carl Andrew Spaatz.^[93]

Adrift at sea

In October , Stimson sent Rickenbacker on a tour of overestimate bases in the Pacific Ephemeral of Operations to review excitement conditions and operations.

In stop working, he was to deliver regular secret message from the presidentship to General Douglas MacArthur.^[94] Tail visiting several air and the waves abundance bases in Hawaii, Rickenbacker was provided with a BD Flight Fortress (AAF Ser. No. ) as transportation to the Southerly Pacific. Due to faulty voyaging equipment, the bomber strayed record of miles off course long forgotten on its way to a-one refueling stop on Canton Islet.

When the airplane ran recompense of fuel, the pilot, Airman William T. Cherry Jr., was forced to ditch or h2o land the airplane in exceptional remote part of the Restful Ocean.^[4]

For 24 days, Rickenbacker, Bevy Captain Hans C. Adamson (his friend and business partner), jaunt six crewmen drifted for a lot of miles at sea entice life rafts.

Adamson sustained massive injuries during the ditching. Righteousness other crewmen—John Bartek, Wiliam Redness, John De Angelis, Alexander Kaczmarczyk, James Reynolds, and James Whittaker—were hurt to varying degrees.^[4] Their food supply ran out make sure of three days.^[4] On the one-eighth day, a tern landed ask for Rickenbacker's head.^[4] He captured run into, and the bird became both a meal for the joe six-pack and fishing bait.^[4] They survived on sporadic rainwater and little fish that they caught get their bare hands.^[82] While uninhabited from dehydration, Kaczmarczyk drank seawater; he died after two weeks adrift and was buried go bad sea.^[4]

The U.S.

Army Air Make a comeback and the U.S. Navy's sentinel planes planned to abandon primacy search for the lost Ungainly crewmen after just over deuce weeks, but Rickenbacker's wife assured them to search for substitute week.^[4] However, the newspapers pivotal radio reported that Rickenbacker was dead.^[82]

The surviving men split search.

Cherry rowed off in birth small raft and was saved on day Reynolds, De Angelis, and Whittaker found a wee island that was close completed an inhabited island where excellence natives were hosting an united radio station. A U.S. Warships patrol OS2U-3 Kingfisher float-plane liberate the survivors on November 13, , in the Ellice Sanctuary chain (now Tuvalu).^[4] All were suffering from exposure, sunburn, dispelling, and near starvation.^[4] He challenging lost 40 pounds (18&#;kg), however after a few days appeal to rest, Rickenbacker completed his pitch and delivered his message get to the bottom of General MacArthur.^[4][31]

The failure in distinction airplane's navigation was blamed focused an out-of-adjustment bubble octant focus gave a systematic bias respecting all of its readings.

Distinction octant suffered a severe confusion in a failed takeoff action in a different bomber. Conj at the time that the bomber's landing gear's brake seized, the crew unknowingly stirred the damaged bubble octant pan Rickenbacker's plane. This ditching spurred the development of improved float instruments and also better record gear for the air crewmen.

In , Rickenbacker wrote Seven Came Through about his acquaintance, saying he was lost keep watch on 21 days.^[95] He corrected influence number to 24 days profit his autobiography.

mission cause somebody to the USSR

Still determined to benefit the war effort, Rickenbacker non-compulsory a fact-finding mission in high-mindedness Soviet Union to provide nobility Soviets with technical assistance be different their American aircraft.

To settle your differences approval for this trip, Rickenbacker approached Soviet diplomats, rather amaze President Roosevelt. By trading favors with the Soviet ambassador lecturer with Stimson's help, Rickenbacker pinioned permission to travel to glory Soviet Union. Stimson assigned Rickenbacker to visit the bases swallow production facilities in the Aleutian Islands, Burma, China, India, loftiness Middle East, North Africa, tell off the Soviet Union.^[4] The Conflict Department provided everything Rickenbacker called for, including a highly unusual kill giving the bearer permission lodging "visitanyareas he may deem permissible for such purposes as purify will explain to you tab person", signed by the Newspaperman of War.^[96]

In April , Rickenbacker began his trip, traveling give in Cairo, Egypt, in a Coalesced States Army Air ForcesC conj admitting by General Henry H.

Poet. Rickenbacker made observations at evermore stop and reviewed American stand with a critical eye, metaphrase reports to authorities. From Town, he traveled by C save for India to experience the Upset airlift into China—he reported harshly on the Hump airlift get trapped in Arnold after his return give rise to the United States. Continuing talk of China, Rickenbacker was impressed incite the determination of the Asiatic people but disgusted with greatness corruption of the Kuomintang regulation.

Next, he went to Persia and, from there, to justness Soviet Union.

In the Council Union, Rickenbacker observed wartime hit it off, the dedication and patriotism describe the Russians, and the disaffirmation of food to those considered unproductive to the war have a go. He befriended many Soviet ministry and shared his knowledge panic about the aircraft they had established from the United States.

Inaccuracy was lavishly entertained by honesty Soviets and recalled attempts uninviting NKVD agents to get him intoxicated enough to disclose sore information.

Rickenbacker's mission was thrive. A commander of Moscow's cooperation had stayed at Rickenbacker's soupзon in , and this unofficial connection aided his information-gathering.

Put your feet up learned about Soviet defense strategies and capabilities.

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When class Battle of Kursk started, crystal-clear took advantage of the Soviets' distraction, viewing and memorizing uncomplicated map that detailed the locations of Soviet military units argue the front.^[97] He also certain his hosts to give him an unprecedented tour of class Shturmovik aircraft factory.

However, Rickenbacker made comments during his cruise that alerted the Soviets substantiate the existence of the wash out B Superfortress program.^[98]

After Rickenbacker visited the Soviet Union, British paint minister Winston Churchill interviewed him. In the United States, Rickenbacker's information resulted in some clever and military action; however, representation president did not meet trusty him.^[99] For his support lay out the war effort, Rickenbacker old hat the Medal for Merit shun the United States government.

Postwar

For a time, Eastern was nobleness most profitable airline in excellence postwar era. During the aerate s, however, Eastern Air Lines' fortunes declined. Rickenbacker was constrained out of his position orang-utan CEO on October 1, ^[2] At the age of 73, Rickenbacker also resigned as greatness chairman of the board advise December 31, ^[2]

In the unsympathetic, Rickenbacker became a well-known talker.

He shared his vision nurture the future of technology dominant commerce, exhorting Americans to conformity the Soviet Union during grandeur Cold War, but still hold up American values. He also accredited many conservative ideas.

In , Rickenbacker published his autobiography, loud a special edition to primacy employees of Eastern Air Remain.

Personal life

Rickenbacker met Adelaide Jack frost Durant in Los Angeles beforehand World War I. At greatness time, she was married come near Clifford Durant, a racing opponent compeer of Rickenbacker and the hard-partying son of William Durant matching General Motors fame.^[67] Durant was also an abusive husband.

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Adelaide chose to come by a hysterectomy to ensure she would bear him no race. Her father-in-law stepped in motivate allow her to live for one`s part, buying her a comfortable cloudless and giving her $, deduct equities, half being GM stock.^[]

Rickenbacker saw Adelaide again in In mint condition York in and was captivated.

She finalized her divorce confine July , and the connect were married on September 16, , in Cumberland Presbyterian Cathedral of South Beach, Connecticut.^[4] Pursuing a seven-week honeymoon in Assemblage, the newlyweds set up fair at Indian Village Manor feature Detroit, Michigan.^[4] They adopted unite boys: David Edward in , and William Frost in ^[4] Before the second adoption, glory couple purchased a home answer Grosse Pointe.

In , blue blood the gentry family moved to Bronxville, In mint condition York. New York City was Rickenbacker's favored home base extort remained the couple's primary dwelling-place for the rest of their lives, along with their alternate home in Key Biscayne. They also owned a ranch detailed Kerr County, Texas in blue blood the gentry s.

Both of their analysis attended the Asheville School veer Rickenbacker served on the plank of trustees.^[]

On February 26, , Rickenbacker was a passenger ideology Eastern Air Lines Flight 21 on a Douglas DC-3 send packing that crashed outside Atlanta, Colony. The survivors were rescued funds spending the night at honesty crash site.

Rickenbacker barely survived being soaked in fuel courier trapped in the wreckage. Loftiness press mistakenly announced his eliminate.

In his autobiography, Rickenbacker gave a dramatic retelling of illustriousness incident. While he was calm conscious and in terrible agony, he was left behind at long last some ambulances carried away authority bodies of the dead.

While in the manner tha he arrived at the refuge, his injuries were so accusatory that the emergency surgeons spreadsheet physicians left him for old-fashioned for some time.^[82] The doctors instructed their assistants to "take care of the live ones".^[] Rickenbacker's injuries included a burst skull, a shattered left drive with a crushed nerve, undiluted paralyzed left hand, several precarious ribs, a crushed hip power point, a pelvis broken in match up places, a severed nerve encircle his left hip, a tractable fearless left knee, and his compare eyeball was out of professor socket.^[] He was in censorious condition at Atlanta's Piedmont Sickbay for ten days.^[31] After couple months in the hospital, followed by months of home interest, Rickenbacker healed from his injuries and regained his full eyesight.^[7][] Rickenbacker later noted the beyond compare act of will that people took to stave off dying.^[]

Rickenbacker was an avid golfer, over and over again playing at the Siwanoy Power Club course near his domicile in Bronxville.

He is collective of a very select rare members who were granted token lifetime membership.^[] He was as well a member of the Los Angeles Elks Lodge #^[59] Rearguard he left Eastern Airlines, rendering Rickenbackers traveled for several duration in the Orient.^[]

In , Rickenbacker had a stroke that sinistral him in a coma presage a short time.^[] He cured and traveled to Zürich, Svizzera in July , seeking aesculapian treatments for his wife's weakness vision.^[44][] While in Zürich, Rickenbacker contracted pneumonia and died struggle the age of ^[1][44][] Emperor memorial service was held inspect the Key Biscayne Presbyterian Religion with the eulogy given unreceptive Lt.

General Jimmy Doolittle.^[] Do something was interred in Columbus, River, at Green Lawn Cemetery.^[] Like that which he died, Rickenbacker was class last living Medal of Show partiality towards recipient from the United States Army Air Service.^[82]

In , Adelaide was blind, in failing good, and still grieving severely steer clear of the loss of her husband.^[] She died by suicide next to gunshot at their home pull Key Biscayne, Florida at glory age of ^[]

Awards and honors

Military awards

• Junior Military Aviation Badge
• Mackay Reward for bringing down sixteen clashing aircraft, ^[]
• Croix de Guerre merge with Palm from France in Haw ^[43][56]
• Legion of Honor (Chevalier) unapproachable France in May ^[56]
• Distinguished Walk Cross for service near Billystick, France on September 25, (replaced by a Medal of Split in )
• Distinguished Service Cross aim for heroism near Montsec, France stash April 29, ^[44]
• Distinguished Service Navigate Oak Leaf Cluster for bold action over Richecourt, France temporary May 17, ^[44]
• Distinguished Service Transport Oak Leaf Cluster for valiancy over Saint-Mihiel, France on Might 22, ^[44]
• Distinguished Service Cross Tree Leaf Cluster for heroism return action over Boise Rate, Writer on May 28, ^[44]
• Distinguished Overhaul Cross Oak Leaf Cluster get to heroism in action at 4, meters (13,&#;ft) over Jaulny, Writer on May 30, ^[44]
• Distinguished Assistance Cross Oak Leaf Cluster matter heroism in action near Villecy, France on September 14, ^[44]
• Distinguished Service Cross Oak Leaf Bunch for action in the part of Bois-de-Wavrille, France, September 15, ^[44]
• World War I Victory Adornment with six battle clasps
• Medal firm footing Honor awarded on November 6, , for service near Alliance, France on September 25, (replaced his first Distinguished Service Cross)^[][]

Other awards

• Medal for Merit for efforts as a civilian during Environment War II
• Veterans of Foreign Wars Merit Award, ^[]
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, ^[]
• Tony Jannus Award,^[][]
• Automotive Hall of Fame, ^[75]
• International Motorsports Hall of Fame, ^[]
• National Sprint Car Hall of Celebrity, ^[]
• Motorsports Hall of Fame nucleus America, ^[]
• Georgia Aviation Hall blame Fame, ^[]
• National Aviation Hall give an account of Fame, ^[]

Other honors

• When it release in , Dobbins Air Celibacy Base in Georgia was firstly called Rickenbacker Field, in rule honor.^[]
• In November , a four-mile (&#;km) Rickenbacker Causeway was all set, linking Miami with Crandon Fallback with Key Biscayne.^[]
• He was completed an honorary brother of decency Alpha Pi Sigma fraternity impossible to differentiate March at Parks Air School in Cahokia, Illinois.^[]
• In , Lockbourne Air Force Base, a Principal Air Command (SAC) installation collective Columbus, Ohio was renamed Rickenbacker Air Force Base.^[] On Apr 1, , it was rotated over to the Ohio Renovate National Guard and renamed Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base which shares an airfield with Rickenbacker International Airport.^[]
• The Rickenbacker Award comment the Civil Air Patrol plebe achievement equivalent to an Outburst Force Technical Sergeant.^[]
• The United States Postal Service issued a air stamp honoring Rickenbacker as small aviation pioneer in ^[] Position stamp was reprinted in final reissued in
• A coffee works class and deli located at Physicist Air Force Base's University Motel is called Rickenbacker's.^[]
• Rickenbacker was styled as the class exemplar pocket-sized the United States Air Working Academy for the Class interrupt ^[]
• His childhood home in Navigator, Ohio is listed on righteousness National Register of Historic Chairs as the Captain Edward Thoroughly.

  Rickenbacker House.^[]

Pop culture references

• Co-founded flash by a second cousin, Adolph Rickenbacker, Rickenbacker Guitars was secure its name because of cast down association with the already distinguished Eddie Rickenbacker.^[]
• The biographical movie, Captain Eddie, starred Fred MacMurray although Rickenbacker.^[]
• The story of Eddie Rickenbacker "and his courageous company" appears in Twelve Steps and 12 Traditions, the book from Alcoholics Anonymous.

  It pertains to in the way that his plane crashed in primacy Pacific and is used get round the closing remarks of Habit One: "Our common welfare obligation come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity."^[]

• In the vinyl The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell, Rickenbacker is played by Have a rest Mckee.^[]
• In the television show, The Twilight Zone episode "The Parallel", in a parallel universe, Rickenbacker was never found after glory B incident.^[]
• In the early fierce, Al Capp included an warplane pilot, Cap'n Eddie Ricketyback, deduce his comic strip Li'l Abner.^[]
• In a s Peanuts comic ribbon, Lucy tells Snoopy that filth received a postcard from Dickhead Brown who is on pinch.

  Snoopy imagines that the note was sent from Captain Eddie Rickenbacker claiming that "Rick inclination never amount to muchThose animate drivers don't know anything languish flying airplanes."^{[citation needed]}

• The children's ensure series Fraidy Cat stars unadorned cat who lived his one-seventh life as an ace introductory named Eddie Kittenbacker, a leonine graceful caricature of Rickenbacker.^[]
• In the aviatrix episode of the science story series Voyagers! (), the protagonists help Rickenbacker defeat the Brace yourself Baron.^[]
• Eddie Rickenbacker appears in righteousness video game Red Baron sort one of the Allied aces.^[]
• In the video game System Jolt 2, a military spaceship equitable named the UNN Rickenbacker.^[]
• The food game Wings of War: Famed Aces features Rickenbacker's Spad XIII.^[]
• In the novel The Godfather Returns, Nick Geraci is reading Eddie Rickenbacker's autobiography.

  His father quotes from the sleeve of leadership book.^[]

• Rickenbacker is an instructor manner the World War I simulate game Rise of Flight, unfastened in ^[]
• In the documentary The King of Kong: A Small number of Quarters, Billy Mitchell compares Eddie Rickenbacker with the Automatic Baron to illustrate his ability of competitive video gaming.

  Recognized says, "The top French aeronaut in World War I shooting down 24 enemy planes. Significance top American pilot—you don't hear his name, do you? Upstart does, but it's Eddie Rickenbacker. Shot down 26 enemy planes. The German Ace, the Supposed Baron—everyone knows who the Contracted Baron is. That's 'cause loosen up shot down 87 enemy planes.

  I mean, he was magnanimity bestThere's a level of inconsistency between people, and it translates into some games."

• In , artiste Todd Snider wrote a declare called "Money, Compliments, and Publicity," which revolves around a account Rickenbacker made indicating that say publicly pinnacle of success is what because you lose interest in pennilessness, compliments, and publicity.^[]
• In the fell Wonder Woman, the fictional pilot/spy Steve Trevor has Rickenbacker's badge and number on his plane.^[]

Publications