Hampton, Virginia

Inducted in 1999, Charles E. “Chuck”’ Myers flew low-level missions in B-25s attacking Japanese shipping and airfields in New Guinea, the Philippines and the coast of China during WWII with the famed Air Apaches of the Fifth Air Force.  After WWII, he flew for the Air Force Reserves and received his BS in mechanical engineering from Lafayette College in 1949.  In 1951, he became a Naval Aviator and in 1952, he deployed aboard the carrier Bon Homme Richard for a combat tour in Korea flying F9F2 Panthers.  After graduating from the Navy Test Pilot Training in 1954, he tested Navy aircraft until 1956 when he resigned to become an Experimental Test Pilot on the CONVAIR “Pogo Stick” project and later chief test pilot on the F-106 program.  He performed the speed envelope extension testing, which led to the USAF setting a new World Speed Record of 1544 mph with the F-106 in 1959.  As the Director for Air Warfare he was involved in promoting a number of key defense programs including the A-10, F-14, F-15, F-16, F-18 and F-117.