...

7, 1956, and for which he received the Mackay Trophy the next year. He grew up in Cassopolis, Michigan, where he went to high school. He graduated from Purdue University with degres in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering in 1949 and entered the Air Force through the Reserve Officers Training Corps. He took pilot training at Randolph Air Force Base, Arizona, where he got his wings and commission in 1950. In 1950-51 he served with the 4th and 51st Fighter Wings in Korea, flying 101 combat missions in F-86 Sabrejets and 30 in F-80 Shooting Stars. He shot down ten communist planes, being one of 12 Air Force pilots with ten or more jet victories to his credit during that war. He earned the Silver Star, three Distinguished Flying Crosses and four Air Medals. In 1953, he was assigned to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, as an instructor for gunnery school. Serving as an exchange officer for the Royal Air Force, he completed a course at the Empire Test Pilot's School in Farnborough, England. He returned to the U.S. in January 1955 for assignement at Edwards Air Force Base, California, where he participated in flight development of all present-century-type aircraft for the Air Force. he ran a total of aircraft flown, U.S. and foreign, to 70 different types. He was then selected to be a pilot for the X-15 program, and took the X-2 to its record altitude in September 1956. For this achievement be was presented with the Mackay Trophy, as well as another Distinguished Flying Cross, by General Thomas White. While flying an F-104 ultrasonic jet from Edwards over the Mojave Desert on July 26, 1958, he crashed to his death near Rosamond Dry Lake. He was buried in Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery on September 18, 1959. Kinross Air Force Base, Michigan, was named Kincheloe Air Force Base in his honor. He posthumously received a number of awards for pioneer experimental flights, including the Air Force Association David C. Shilling Award, the Astronautic Award from the American Rocket Society, and the Legion of Merit from the Air Force. He had been chosen by the Air Force to be one of the first men to fly into space. (Sources: Video-U. S. National Archives; Text-Arlington National Cemetery Webb Site