James D. Eastham was born at home June 18, 1924, to James and Amma Eastham.  The family made their home at 926 N. Main in El Dorado, Kansas.  He has one brother, Renden “Blue” of El Dorado, and two sisters, Mrs. Avle Mehl and Mrs. June Travis.  Another sister, Madge, is deceased.  Following a former marriage, Jim has one adopted son, Skipper Eastham.

Having served as a pilot during World War II and the Korean Conflict, Jim went on to accomplish many record-breaking aviation feats, including being the first pilot to fly the YF-12A, second pilot to fly the SR-71 and third pilot to fly the A-12.  He was the chief test pilot during the testing of the Convair YB-58A, and authored the YF-12 flight manual.

Eastham is a member of the Pi Tau Sigma, a mechanical engineering honorary fraternity, and served as its president; also he is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.  He also has been a member of the Stenis Air Service “Skytyping” group for twenty years, which operated the SNJ-2 (AT-6).  He holds a fellowship in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.  He has been inducted into the Blackbird Laurels Fraternity, an elite honor society founded by The Flight Test Historical Foundation.

Now retired, Eastham makes his home in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, a support city for NASA and nearby Edwards Air Force Base.  He retired as a Major from the USAF Reserve.
       

CONNECTION TO BUTLER COUNTY

A native of El Dorado, Kansas, Eastham received his primary and secondary education in El Dorado.  He is a graduate of El Dorado High School’s class of 1942.

Jim’s family came to El Dorado in 1919.  His father supported the family working as a carpenter and contractor, and his mother worked in the home.

LEAVING THE AREA

In 1942, Eastham enlisted in the Army Air Corp reserve program, entering the CPT program under the sponsorship of the Civil Aviation Authority.  He attended six different civilian flying schools, followed by the Army Air Corp’s Central Instructors School in Randolph, TX.  Following graduation from this latest school, he worked as the primary instructor at Mustang Field, located in El Reno, Oklahoma.