Joseph William Kittinger II was an American military pilot who was an officer in the United States Air Force. He served from 1950 to 1978 and earned Command Pilot status before retiring with the rank
Colonel Joseph W. Kittinger II, USAF (pictured as a captain) First person to conduct stratospheric space diving
Kittinger next to the Excelsior gondola
Kittinger's record-breaking skydive from Excelsior III
Replica of Excelsior III gondola and mannequin of Kittinger at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force