shot down five enemy fighters in a single day. After the war, Yeager began a new career as a test pilot, where he flew the experimental aircraft Bell X-1 into aviation history. On October 14, 1947, Yeager flew his X-1 faster than the speed of sound. He became the first human being to fly faster than sound, and he went on to break more records during his 60-year flight history. Yeager retired from the army with the rank of Brigadier General, and has won many honors for his contributions to aviation.