Joe Kittinger Autographed Photograph
Colonel Joseph William Kittinger II (born July 27, 1928 in Tampa, Florida) is a former USAF Command Pilot, career military officer and retired Colonel in the United States Air Force. He is most famous for his participation in Project Manhigh and Project Excelsior in 1960, setting the record longest skydive from a height greater than 19 miles. He was also the first man to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a gas ballon.
Serving as a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, he achieved an aerial kill of a North Vietnamese jet fighter and was later shot down himself, spending 11 months as a prisoner of war.
Then Captain Kittinger was assigned to "Project Excelsior" as part of a team to research high altitude bailouts. He made a series of three extreme altitude parachute jumps from an open gondola carried aloft by large helium balloons. On August 16, 1960, he made the final jump, from the Excelsior III, at 102,800 feet. He fell for 4 minutes and 36 seconds, reaching a maximum speed of 614 miles per hour before opening his parachute at 18,000 feet.
Kittinger set historical numbers for highest balloon ascent, highest parachute jump, longest drogue fall, and fastest speed by a human being through the atmosphere. Kittinger's records for the highest ascent, highest parachute jump, and fastest velocity stood for 52 years, until they were broken in 2012 by Felix Baumgartner. Kittinger was involved in this endeavor as well, serving on the Red Bull Stratos project team as capsule communicator, directing Baumgartner on his record breaking freefall.
Kittinger was decorated with several military awards, including two Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. He was awarded the Harmon Trophy by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and is also a recipient of the A. Leo Stevens Parachute Medal. In 1997, Kittinger was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio.
Serving as a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, he achieved an aerial kill of a North Vietnamese jet fighter and was later shot down himself, spending 11 months as a prisoner of war.
Then Captain Kittinger was assigned to "Project Excelsior" as part of a team to research high altitude bailouts. He made a series of three extreme altitude parachute jumps from an open gondola carried aloft by large helium balloons. On August 16, 1960, he made the final jump, from the Excelsior III, at 102,800 feet. He fell for 4 minutes and 36 seconds, reaching a maximum speed of 614 miles per hour before opening his parachute at 18,000 feet.
Kittinger set historical numbers for highest balloon ascent, highest parachute jump, longest drogue fall, and fastest speed by a human being through the atmosphere. Kittinger's records for the highest ascent, highest parachute jump, and fastest velocity stood for 52 years, until they were broken in 2012 by Felix Baumgartner. Kittinger was involved in this endeavor as well, serving on the Red Bull Stratos project team as capsule communicator, directing Baumgartner on his record breaking freefall.
Kittinger was decorated with several military awards, including two Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. He was awarded the Harmon Trophy by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and is also a recipient of the A. Leo Stevens Parachute Medal. In 1997, Kittinger was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio.
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Photograph in collection is a photo of Kittinger just as he stepped off the gondola. It is autographed by Kittinger with the annotation "102,800 ft - 16 Aug 60".
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