4. Eddie V. Rickenbacker: US Army Fighter Ace

Edward Vernon Rickenbacker: Born 10/08/90 Died 07/23/73 US Army Fighter Ace, race car driver, auto designer & manufacturer, Indianapolis Speedway owner and CEO of Eastern Airlines. Ed at an early age loved all things mechanical, was interested in machines and he experimented with them. His father who passed away from an accident when Ed was 12 years old once told him "a  has to have a purpose". Ed said when his dad passed "I didn't go back to school, I went to work"! Being a young dare devil he was involved in  auto racing, entering and racing in the Vanderbilt Races, American Grand Prize Races and in the first Indy 500 in 1911, racing there a total five times 1911, 12, 14, 15, 16. Stats where 42 racing entries, won 7, second 2, third 5. He won in Sioux City, Omaha and Tacoma. During the war years of WW1 he flew Nieuport 28's and Spad XIII's for the 81 Aero Squadron which has the "Hat-In-The-Ring" emblem. He earned his "Ace of Aces" status downing 13 Fokker D-VII and a number of Observation Blimps. He earned the Medal of Honor medal and title of war hero. After the war he designed autos and started the Rickenbacker Motor Company, manufacturing sports coupes, touring sedans and road racers from 1920 to 1927. He bought the Indianapolis Speedway and ran it from 1927 to 46. Later in life he ran the Eastern Airlines commercial airlines for many years. He passed away in 1973 and Col Jimmy Doolittle his eulogy. The Ace of Aces American Hero is buried in his hometown of Columbus Ohio. (Photo credit: Bettmann/ Corbis)