Chidlaw, Benjamin Wiley

Chidlaw, Benjamin Wiley

(1900–77) aviator; born in Cleves, Ohio. A West Point graduate with training in aeronautical engineering, he helped develop engine modifications for high altitude flight and, during World War II, he supervised the design and construction of the first U.S. jet aircraft. In 1954, he became the first commander of the Continental Air Defense Command.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.