Eddie Rickenbacker

Eddie Rickenbacker – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the extraordinary life of Eddie Rickenbacker (1890–1973): pioneering aviator, war hero, racecar driver, airline executive, and American legend. Learn about his early struggles, wartime feats, postwar leadership, and enduring quotes.

Introduction

Edward Vernon “Eddie” Rickenbacker (October 8, 1890 – July 23, 1973) is among the most iconic American aviators of the 20th century. As the top American fighter ace in World War I—with 26 confirmed kills—he earned the Medal of Honor and multiple decorations.

But Rickenbacker’s story goes far beyond combat. He was also a racecar driver, automobile entrepreneur, airline executive (notably leading Eastern Air Lines), and public figure in aviation and business.

His life shows how innovation, courage, adaptability, and vision intersect—with both triumphs and tribulations.

Early Life and Family

Eddie Rickenbacker was born Edward Rickenbacher on October 8, 1890, in Columbus, Ohio.

His father, Wilhelm (or “William”) Rickenbacher, worked in street paving and construction, and his mother Elisabeth (“Lizzie”) ran laundry services to supplement family income.

Tragedy struck early: in 1904, when Eddie was about 13, his father was injured in an altercation and fell into a coma; he later died, leaving Eddie to help support his family.

As a youth, Rickenbacker worked various jobs—paper delivery, setting bowling pins, salvaging goods—and gave much of his earnings to his mother.

He also survived a number of near-death or accident events as a child, leading him to later reflect that he believed “God had repeatedly saved him for a higher purpose.”

Eventually he anglicized his name from Rickenbacher to Rickenbacker and adopted the middle name Vernon—partly motivated by anti-German sentiments in wartime America and to cultivate a more “American” identity.

Early Career: Automobiles, Racing & Mechanic Work

Rickenbacker dropped out of school in his early teens to work full time. He lied about his age to bypass labor restrictions.

He took correspondence courses in engineering and landed a job in an automobile workshop.

Rickenbacker entered automobile racing, including competing in the Indianapolis 500 (as a relief driver) and other events.

In 1919, he co-founded the Rickenbacker Motor Company, designing and manufacturing automobiles. His company introduced some innovations (like tandem flywheel designs and early four-wheel brakes), but ultimately the venture failed amid competition and management challenges.

World War I and Aerial Combat

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Rickenbacker enlisted in the Army.

He flew missions for the U.S. Army Air Service and achieved early success. His first kills came in the spring of 1918. 94th Aero Squadron, often called the “Hat in the Ring” squadron.

He emphasized discipline, careful tactics, and teamwork. He famously said he would not order a mission he would not fly himself.

By war’s end, Rickenbacker had 26 confirmed aerial victories—making him the leading American ace in WWI.

One of his later decisions was a dramatic dissent from tragedy: later in life, he was asked what he would do differently and he said:

“From this day forward, I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death.”
This was his symbolic turning from supporting capital punishment—though this quote is more commonly associated with Justice Blackmun; sorry—my mistake. (That quote belongs to Harry Blackmun, not Rickenbacker.)

Instead, Rickenbacker’s public views often emphasized courage, perseverance, and mastery over one’s environment.

Post-War Career: Aviation, Business & Public Life

Aviation & Eastern Air Lines

After the war, Rickenbacker turned increasingly toward commercial aviation. Eastern Air Lines.

Under his leadership, Eastern grew from modest beginnings to a major U.S. airline, acquiring routes, modern aircraft, and expanding infrastructure.

He remained heavily involved until the late 1950s. In 1959, he was forced out as CEO, and he resigned from board presidency in 1963.

Other Ventures & Activities

• Rickenbacker purchased and managed the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (home of the Indy 500) for a time, modernizing operations and broadcasting the event on radio.

• He scripted a comic strip, Ace Drummond, from 1935 to 1940, drawing on aviation themes.

• He remained a prominent public speaker on aviation, technology, and American ideals in the later decades of his life.

World War II & Perils at Sea

During WWII, though he did not return to combat, Rickenbacker undertook missions as a civilian emissary.

One of his most famous later-life ordeals occurred in October 1942: he was aboard a B-17 flying over the Pacific when it drifted off course and ran out of fuel. The crew had to ditch, and for 24 days they drifted at sea in life rafts before rescue. This survival story became a testament to endurance, leadership, and will.

Personality, Philosophy & Style

Eddie Rickenbacker combined mechanical genius, daring, discipline, and resilience. His life was built on:

• Self-reliance and mastery of machinery. His early mechanical experiments and later innovations in aviation and automotive fields reflect a deep affinity for understanding and controlling technology.

• Courage under pressure. In aerial combat, surviving near-misses and commanding missions under fire, he repeatedly demonstrated composure.

• Leadership by example. He often insisted on sharing risk with subordinates, refusing to ask others to do what he would not do.

• Adaptability. He navigated transitions from racing to wartime aviation to commercial aviation to public speaking—a capacity to reinvent and remain relevant.

• Ambition and vision. He pushed boundaries in aviation, business, and public life, striving to build and lead, not simply participate.

At the same time, he experienced setbacks—business failures, corporate politics, health challenges—but often responded with resilience.

Famous Quotes of Eddie Rickenbacker

Here are several notable quotations attributed to Rickenbacker that capture his mindset, values, and outlook:

• “Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared.”

• “I pay those guys to fly, so let them fly. I'll be damned if I'll pay them to just sit there.”

• “If you do drop out, you are a dead man, and dropping out means, usually, that you have made a mistake or let go of your grip.”

• “There is a peculiar gratification in receiving congratulations from one’s squadron for a victory in the air. It is worth more to a pilot than the applause of the whole outside world.”

• “Fighting in the air is not a sport. It is scientific murder.”

• “Long practice in driving a racing car at a hundred miles an hour or so gives first-class training in control and judging distances at high speed … helps tremendously in getting motor sense…”

These quotes reflect a man who understood fear and risk, the demands of performance, and the rewards of shared struggle and mastery.

Lessons from Eddie Rickenbacker

1. Master your tools & understand your domain. Rickenbacker’s deep mechanical and aerodynamic knowledge gave him advantage and control.

2. Courage is action in spite of fear. His life embodies the paradox: to act bravely, one must feel fear—but act anyway.

3. Lead by doing. His insistence on sharing risk, on being in the cockpit himself, solidified loyalty and moral authority.

4. Adapt to changing eras. From the golden age of flight through commercial aviation to modern mass transport, Rickenbacker continually evolved.

5. Resilience through failure. His business setbacks or operational challenges didn’t define him—how he responded did.

6. Value community and teamwork. He often spoke of the importance of squadron cohesion over personal glory, and gave value to recognition from one’s peers.

Conclusion

Eddie Rickenbacker’s life is more than a legend of aerial combat. It is a story of ambition, innovation, perseverance, and leadership across multiple domains—automotive, aviation, business, public speaking.

He faced personal loss, corporate battles, and life-or-death crises, yet he remained one of America’s most celebrated aviators and public figures. His memorable lines—on courage, risk, and discipline—continue to motivate those who strive in demanding fields.