Robert J. “Bob” Gilliland

()Bob Gilliland, of Memphis, was selected to be the Chief Test Pilot and first man to fly the SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest and highest altitude aircraft ever built. He has logged more than 6,500 hours with more supersonic flight test time than another other pilot. Gilliland graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in engineering but became a USAF pilot who flew nearly every aircraft in the U.S. Air Force inventory.