(Lloyd Borguss/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein Air Base, Germany, January 7, 1970: Brig. Gen. Charles E. Yeager, vice-commander of the 17th Air Force, gets a pat on the hand from Vera Starodvorsky during their reunion more than a quarter-century after she hid him from the Germans in occupied France when his plane was shot down in March, 1944. In the background are Starodvorsky’s daughter, Alexandra Mchanetzki, and Mrs. Yeager. Thanks to Starodvorsky and others, Yeager was able to escape to Spain, return to battle (and shoot down five planes on his first day back), and go on to become the first pilot to break the sound barrier.