Description
Eddie Rickenbacker rose from humble beginnings to become a WW I fighter ace, championship race car driver, automotive designer, and CEO of Eastern Airlines. In 1922, he established the Rickenbacker Motor Company, which built innovative autos until 1927. He fell in love with Adelaide Frost Durant in 1921 and they married the following year. They adopted their sons, David Edward in 1925 and William Frost in 1928. Rickenbacker purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway operating it for over a decade. He turned his attention to aviation and developing state-of-the-art designs. In February 1941, he was seriously injured when a Douglas DC-3 he was a passenger on crashed. His recovery from this near-death experience took months. During a flight to the Pacific Theater, in 1942, the plane’s navigation malfunctioned putting it hundreds of miles off course and the crew was adrift for 24 days after ditching the aircraft.
World War I
At the age of 27 Eddie Rickenbacker, having no flight experience nor college degree, joined the American Expeditionary Force. After only 17 days as a student pilot, he graduated with a commission as a lieutenant. Initially, he was not accepted by his fellow squadron members, who were mostly Ivy League college graduates. During the war, he flew 300 combat hours survived 134 aerial encounters, and shot down 22 enemy aircraft. He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre and the U.S. Medal of Honor. He barely made it back after one battle with a fuselage full of bullet holes, half a propeller, and a scorched streak on his helmet where it was hit by a bullet. Rickenbacker was called America’s Ace of Aces during World War I.
This Eddie Rickenbacker History Mug is part of the Medal of Honor series.
The biographical History Mugs were created to teach and inspire individuals to learn about our diverse and interesting history. The biographies were researched and written by history enthusiast, Robert Compton. He colorized most of the historic photos and images used on the mugs, which were originally black and white or sepia tone. The images and biographies are imprinted on mugs at his studio in rural Vermont.
- Mugs are food and microwave safe.
- To preserve photographic quality we recommend hand washing.
- Mugs are usually shipped within 3-5 days.
