Iven Carl Kincheloe Jr.
Iven C. Kincheloe Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | Iven Carl Kincheloe Jr. July 2, 1928 |
| Died | July 26, 1958 (aged 30) Edwards Air Force Base, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Air crash |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Education | Purdue University, B.S. 1949 |
| Known for | near-space altitude record |
| Awards | Silver Star Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross (3) Air Medal (4) |
| Aviation career | |
| Air force | United States Air Force |
| Battles | Korean War |
| Rank | Captain |
Iven Carl "Kinch" Kincheloe Jr. (July 2, 1928 – July 26, 1958) was an American pilot. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, in which he was recognized as a flying ace. He continued as a test pilot after the war, participating in the Bell X-2 program, in which he set an altitude record of 126,200 feet (38,470 m) in 1956. For this suborbital flight above most of the atmosphere, he became known as "The First Spaceman". He was selected for the Air Force's program to put a man in space, but was killed in a plane crash in 1958.