Eddie's parents had a hard time with him when he was young. He began smoking at the tender age of 5 years old and formed his own gang known as the Horsehead Gang. But Eddie's father was not one to let things like this go. He often took a switch to Eddie's backside to show him the error of his ways. But Eddie was always getting into trouble. He ripped his leg open playing dangerous games on a metal slide at a gravel pit when he was only 8 years old. But the disciplinarian in his life died, his father, when Eddie was only 12. Eddie immediately quit school.

When Eddie was 16 years old he got a job working for a race car driver who happened to own the company. He was allowed to ride in the races as the mechanic. When he was 22 years old he met Fred Dusenberg the famous automobile designer and he decided to become a race car driver. In 1914 Eddie held the world speed record of 134 mph at Daytona Speedway.

Eddie Rickenbacker had a terrible fear of heights. In 1916 Glenn Martin, the famous aircraft designer, gave Eddie a ride in his plane. By the time the war started, the war being World War I, Eddie was making a huge salary for the times. It is said he was making in excess of $40,000 per year. In 1917 the U.S. entered the war. Eddie wanted to be a pilot but the Army said he was too old at 27 years, and didn't have enough schooling. The army did, however make him a sergeant because of his racing experience. Now here is where things get a little fuzzy. Some say he was assigned as the driver for Gen. John J. Pershing, the general that was in command of all U.S. forces while others say that he became the driver for the famous Colonel, William Billy Mitchell, the advocate of air power. At any rate, he nagged until he was allowed to go to flight training school. He was so good that he was graduated in the record time of 17 days as a second lieutenant.

He had a problem, however. The problem was non acceptance by his college graduate squadron members who were mostly from better families. At first, his fear of heights tended to limit his maneuverability. But all that was to change. On May 7, 1918 he scored his first solo kill. Rickenbacker admitted that after each encounter he had been afraid. Eddie began to excel at shooting down enemy aircraft and after shooting down approximately 7 aircraft he was given command of the squadron. Eddie went on a solo mission and came across 7 enemy aircraft. Anyone else might have turned around, but not Eddie Rickenbacker. He attacked and shot down two planes, the rest scattered. He was given the Medal of Honor and the French Croix de Guerre for his bravery.

At the beginning of October, 1918, Eddie was promoted to captain and he was the foremost U.S. Ace in the war. But he was not done yet, in that month, he shot down 14 aircraft. Eddie had survived 134 combat missions, this was more than any other American pilot. After Eddie was no longer on active duty he was promoted to Major, but used the title Captain for the rest of his life, since, he said, he earned that one. Eddie was a famous man and became the General Manager for Eastern Airlines.

In 1941 Eddie was aboard a plane that crashed. Nine passengers and both pilots were killed. Eddie was seriously hurt but recovered. In 1942 the Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson asked Eddie to tour England as an observer. He was told to evaluate the equipment and personnel. He accepted but turned down promotions to Brigadier and Major Generals. He was sent on a second mission to the Pacific but here is where the strange thing happens. The plane crashes and the people on board get three rafts and tie them together. They may have had fishing kits, and some survival rations but nothing is known about how they were able to survive in shark infested waters for over 22 days with little or nothing to drink. One of the men died and the survivors said they allowed him to float away. The men were finally spotted by a Catalina flying boat and rescued.

Eddie Rickenbacker died on July 27, 1973 in Zurich, Switzerland.