One of Chuck’s unrecognized contributions to aviation history? He delivered my snack bar beer, San Miguel lager, Doug MacArthur’s old company,
from Clark AB to Phan Rang AB RVN during monthly in-country flights for Combat Pay and tax deductions in 1966-’67. 9 cases iced down at altitude fit in the B-57 rotating bomb door stead of nine bombs. Usually spent a night and flew with my 8th TBS on a 3 shipper next day . As our 405th Tac Fighter Wing CC in the PI could not be lead in RVN but at the target we just let him go with what we learned from. Had tested the Canberra in early 50’s at Edwards Test Center and knew inside out. Really made our day to welcome him but we drank the beer gladly post mission. Fun to say flew with best ever on my wing. Last spoke in ’71 as Ramstein AB 17th AF Vice CC at Bitburg  AB parade review. Warm summer day in August and I sidled over to review stand to say “be nice to sip a cool San Miguel, eh Boss?”. He laughed but had sworn off party dinking to make B Gen finally. Became USAF Pakistan advisor on use of the old B-57’s given them. During 80’s daily advised me to use AC Delco plugs on dinner time TV. Proudest of he always said his young troops had similar right stuff. I salute a real man. Don I Phillips, Captain, USAF, Retired

“Yeager returned to combat operations in 1966 as commander of the 405th Fighter Wing based in the Philippines. After earning a promotion to brigadier general, he became vice commander of the 17th Air Force in Germany in 1969. Yeager then was named U.S. defense representative to Pakistan in 1971, and in 1973, the same year he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, he took on the role of director of aerospace safety at Norton Air Force Base in California. In February 1975, shortly after completing his final active duty flight, he retired from the Air Force.”

To New Heights | General Chuck Yeager

Don I Phillips, Capt, USAF, Ret.
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