Eddie Rickenbacker, famous U.S. aviator

It is the birthday of Eddie Rickenbacker (1890), one of the most celebrated aviators in American history. He became a World War I flying ace, shooting down some 26 German aircraft during the war. He also flew more combat hours than any other American pilot. Before the war, Rickenbacker earned the nickname Fast Eddie racing in the Indianapolis 500. During the 1930s, Rickenbacker established Eastern Airlines in Miami and built it into one of the leading commercial passenger carriers in the country.