CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Several West Virginia lawmakers have called on the U.S. Postmaster General to issue a commemorative stamp in honor of West Virginia’s own Brigadier General Charles Elwood “Chuck” Yeager.
On Thursday, Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), as well as U.S Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV), Alex Mooney (R-WV) and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), sent the letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy encouraging him to honor the late Yeager via the stamp.
According to a release from Joe Manchin’s office, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, is the third anniversary of Yeager’s passing and, therefore, makes him eligible to receive this honor.
“Chuck Yeager is an American hero and a legendary figure in the history of aviation, and it is our strong belief that his historic accomplishments in service to our nation merit celebration and recognition on a commemorative stamp,” the lawmakers said in part.
Yeager was born in Myra, WV and raised in the small town of Hamlin, which his family moved to when he was five. Three months after graduating high school, Yeager enlisted in the Army Air Corps. In 1944, Yeager entered combat, helping the Allied forces using his “persistence and superb piloting skills.”
After the war, Yeager was chosen to enter the Air Force’s new Flight Test Division at Wright Field in 1947 where he made history by being the first to break the sound barrier. Yeager served in the armed forces for another 28 years afterward and retired from active duty in 1975.
You can read the lawmakers’ full letter here.