Edward Vernon Rickenbacker (October 8, 1890 â July 23, 1973) was an American fighter ace in World War I, and a Medal of Honor recipient. With 26 aerial victories, he was the United States’ most successful fighter ace in the war and is considered to have received the most awards for valor by an American during the war. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation.
Rickenbacker died in Zurich, Switzerland at the age of 82. Known as a race-car driver before World War I, he became Americaâs premier flying ace during the war and returned home to a heroâs welcome. Declining offers from the aviation industry and even Hollywood, Rickenbacker decided to lend his name to a car company, although he played a negligible role in the companyâs management and eventually resigned his position there. Without his high-flying name behind the product, Rickenbacker Motors crashed and burned. Later he and several associates bought Eastern Airlines in 1938 and guided it to become one of the most profitable airlines in the postwar era.
MILITARY HISTORY SOCIETY OF ROCHESTER
ROCHESTERMILITARY.COM
