Frank "Speedy Pete" Everest Jr.: Born 08/09/20 Died 10/01/04 Pete was a USAF officer, combat fighter pilot, POW, flight test pilot and aero engineer. He joined the US Army Air Corp just before WWII, he was a fighter pilot and flew combat missions in both the Pacific Theater (China, Burma, India) and European Theater (Sicily, Italy, N. Africa). After the war he was assigned to Wright Patterson AFB then to Edwards AFB). He holds records in altitude and speed fly Bell X-1 and X-2 test aircraft. During his career he flew over 120 different types of aircraft. He was known as "The Fastest Man Alive" for going Mach 2.9 in a X-2. He was a technical advisor in the 1956 movie "Toward the Unknown" filmed on location at Edwards AFB. Speedy Pete was truly an American hero, AF officer, Commander, fighter ace, test pilot and yes spaceman! RIP General, well done! (Photo credit: US Air Force)
