Eddie Rickenbacker: America’s Un-killable Ace

Survived 135 Life ending Events

To most Americans the name Eddie Rickenbacker means very little unless you do a little digging into WWI. Then you will find that during the war he shot down 26 German fighters and 5 balloons being awarded 11 Distinguished Service Crosses and the Medal of Honor. Born to a poor immigrant family in Ohio, his dad was killed in an accident and at age 12 he went to work to support the family. He survived several brushes with death as a child: running into a burning school building, being run over by a car, and other life threatening events. At 19 as a mechanic for a race car team, he began racing cars himself, crashing several but surviving. His fame as a race car driver was known even before WWI where he became the personal driver for Gen. Pershing. He convinced Pershing to allow him to fly airplanes and quickly became the top American ace of the war. After the war he became the CEO of Eastern Airlines and was in an airplane crash (as a passenger) that he survived. He had a crushed skull, broken ribs, shattered elbow and his eye was forced from its socket. A year later he was on a B-17 on a mission for the US government when his plane ran out of fuel, crashing into the ocean. He was adrift for 24 days with the crew enduring heat, starvation, sharks and lack of water. He survived. His accomplishments are many including: starting a car company, revolutionary car improvements, Advisor for the US military, CEO of Eastern Airlines and many others. He was a firm believer in God and often spoke about it. One of his famous quotes is “Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared”. Eddie was a notable figure, American Patriot, and proof that you can come to greatness from nothing. Valor is in you. Set it free.