Analysing The Reggae Music Genre Music Essay

Analysing The Reggae Music Genre Music Essay Reggae, although not as popular as it was a few decades ago, is one of the most widely appreciated genres is modern music history. With reggae being so widely spread almost everyone could recite a reggae lyric even if they are not fans of the music and influential artists such as the legendary Bob Marley are well known and are still celebrated to this day. Although reggae is possibly the most popular genre in Jamaican music it was certainly not the first of its kind in Jamaica, with reggae having a few predecessors and a vast history that made reggae what it was today. The very beginning of reggae could be seen in the early 1950s in the run down areas of Downtown Kingston, Jamaica with the emergence of the Sound System. It is thought that the birth of the sound system came about when they were used during the intermission of a dance orchestra. It was soon realised that the sound systems were much cheaper and needed no breaks and soon replaced the dance orchestras all together. Eventually the sound systems became booming business opportunities and many of the liquor barons in Kingston made a good fortune playing the popular American Rhythm and Blues of the time. Music business entrepreneur Derrick Harriott recalled his experience of the sound system street parties: Being part of the crowdwhen a big sound system was playing was probably the greatest feeling in the world to any Jamaican kid. But if you had aspirations to make music then it was magical (Bradley, 2000:3). The sound system business very competitive and by the end of the 50s sound system owners opened up recording studios (this included the famous Studio 1 owned by Coxsone Dodd) to create exclusive tracks that would only be owned by the sound system owners. The sound system owners would audition hopefuls and would agree to record the best to make a Jamaican version of RB and it is then that marks the creation of Ska. A few years later on August 5th 1962, Jamaica was made an independent state after 300 years of British rule and the soundtrack to this new freedom was the newly invented Ska. It was this freedom that boosted the popularity of Ska and made it a huge success in Jamaica although it was mainly popular around the poor areas of Downtown Kingston and was not really accepted in the rich Uptown Kingston. Around the beginning of the 60s, many Jamaican musicians moved over to England to try their luck in the business which this started an underground Ska scene in London and eventually the scene became popular that it moved from West London to the West End. In 1964 the popularity of Ska heightened with the release of My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small and Ska became the national sound of Jamaica. Although Uptown Kingston had finally accepted Ska, the mood was changing Downtown to relate with a slower pace in times. Downtown was poverty stricken and many were unhappy with the way the country was being run, so with slow times came a slower rhythm and this was the birth of Rock steady. Rock steady took inspiration from American soul and RB and many of the songs were Boy meets Girl stories. Although this period was considered the most glorious phase in Jamaican music, Rock steady lasted 18 months but due to Jamaicas problems worsening the music became more serious with heavier bass lines, a faster tempo and the subject matter based around social occurrences. People were looking for a revolution, and thus reggae was born. In the beginning reggae, much like any genre, was relatively unknown but although it was a Jamaican export, reggae had a large underground following in the UK partly due to the now settled Caribbean community that lived in London. Even the Mods who were big Ska fans had turned to reggae and eventually the Mod culture morphed into what is known as the Skinhead culture, Skinhead having a different meaning to what it has today. UK sound system owner Vego recalled selling the reggae records at the time: When I first come here there werent any record shops selling our kind of musicWed go to dances with the records and give the tunes to the sound man to play, and when he see the reaction of the people in the dance then hed have to buy it he wouldnt have a choice.(Bradley 2000:123). Even with this mass underground following it was not until 1972 with the release of the major motion picture; The Harder They Come did the popularity of reggae skyrocket. The Harder They Come was the story of a young hopeful musician turned outlaw and showed what it was to live in the ghettos of Jamaica and the importance of reggae culture in Jamaican society. The film boasted a soundtrack that became just as popular as the film (the soundtrack was the highest sold reggae album at the time) containing songs like the title track; You Can Get It If You Really Want by Jimmy Cliff who was also the main protagonist in the film. The film developed a cult status and is considered one of the main sources for the popularity of reggae in the rest of the world. A year later, Ska-turned-reggae band The Wailers released the famous Catch a Fire album (not only for its lyrical content and tone but for its impractical cover sleeve too) which not only boosted the popularity of roots reggae but also for The Wailers, especially their legendary frontman Bob Marley, careers too American guitarist Eric Clapton is also credited with the popularity of reggae in the Western world when his cover of Bob Marleys I S hot the Sheriff reached number one in the US charts in 1974. With reggaes popularity peaking in the late 70s many rock bands including The Clash and The Police adopted a reggae style creating a reggae-rock fusion which proved to be very popular as these two bands have gained a legendary status. Unfortunately, reggaes biggest star Bob Marley was diagnosed with skin cancer and on 11th May 1981 he passed away at the age of 36. Many say the death of Marley was also the death of reggae itself, as Marley has been synonymous with the genre. Nobody could recreate the buzz or the style that surrounded Marley and eventually many stopped trying. However in 1984 a greatest hits album entitled Legend was released and became a huge success, selling over 25 million copies and becoming the second longest charting album ever making it the bestselling reggae album of all time. Much like any genre reggae has its superstars and upon hearing the word reggae most people think Bob Marley. Although there were many other influential artists in the genre, it was Marley who made a significant imprint on reggae as a whole. However, Marley was not always singing solo

Race and Ethnicity Essay

The ongoing struggle to fight the skin color prejudice in the contemporary American society is portrayed in Michael Jackson’s song â€Å"Black or White. † Whereas the racism is defined as a superior behavior against other race-thus making it inferior, the singer refers to this term as â€Å"See, it’s not about races, just places, faces, where your blood comes from is where your space is. † Michael Jackson, one of the most influential artists in the music industry, calls for equality in how people view and behave towards each other. The question, which this master thesis investigates, does it matter if you’re black or white, is clearly answered by the singer: â€Å"It don’t matter if you’re black or white. † Jackson was trying to influence his society to act in a similar way and he calls for them to live their lives by Dr. Luther’s dream â€Å"†¦. judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. † However, almost thirty years later, it still seemed only as a dream because he sang: â€Å"I’m tired of this Devil†, where the bad is being represented by the prejudice. At the same time, he clearly states: â€Å"I’m not gonna spend my life being a color† – this is where he makes his conclusion. This can imply that even though he doesn’t discriminate and would like to see color prejudice gone, he is still being discriminated against. While being the most prominent artist in the music industry, he still calls himself â€Å"a color† and he rebuts against it and wants to be seen for the person he is and not the pigmentation of his skin. It is widely known that Michael Jackson had many facial plastic surgeries and it is controversial whether or not he altered his skin color by chemical peels or was it the disease called vitiligio that changed his face color to white. Therefore, it can be speculated that he modified skin to appear white, which ultimately is his vision. It can be further questioned – since Michael Jackon can’t win his struggle for racial equality, did he give up and go white – just to end his inner battle? Will all his suffering come to closure since now he looks white? Is this the true answer? It may be deemed as so since the skin color is the guide of one’s position in the society where being white claims supremacy-control and power. It should be noted that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest musicians of all times, having sold over 750 million records worldwide. He has accomplished so much in his life, yet still feels inferior and calls for racial equality in the world. His vision for a better world to live in, free of racism, ends on a sad note: â€Å"It’s black, it’s white†. To summarize, through decades, the blacks have fought to be equal, as the American nation shall guarantee those rights, yet, the society is still divided into the superior, the whites, and inferior- the blacks (and other people of color). Blacks have always been portrayed as the dirty, the poor, the lesser-of-a human type whereas the whites are seen as the dominant, the good type. Again, Jackson does not agree with this stereotype in saying: â€Å"I ain’t second to none. † Moreover, he claims that he will no longer be scared and mentions historical symbol of a KKK group: â€Å"I ain’t scared of your brother, I ain’t scared of no sheets. † With his passing in 2009, many of his inner struggles come to the end, but will the next generation start working on being color-free as the king of pop envisioned? America has always struggled with racial issues, especially those of black and white. Some them included racial segregation, education, workforce, banking and even seating on the bus. Black people continuously tried to â€Å"break thru† into community, but were always pushed aside as dirty, poor and unwelcome. We, in modern times, see the United States of America as a country that treats everyone equal. Americans should all be all equal, no matter what race, color, religion or any other characteristics they have. After all, we all remember year 2009, which is when Americans elected their first African American President. Question that comes to mind – why â€Å"first African American President,† not just simply their 44th President? So – the race and color of your skin does matter in modern times. My analyses of selected books, academic journals, films and music video will concentrate and argue if Americans indeed discriminate against race or if it is history and no longer exists in American life. First, I would like to take into consideration the iconic Michael Jackson, one of the greatest, perhaps the greatest singer and performer of the 21st century. Not only his songs deserve a closer look, but also his lifestyle – ideas, fears and the public opinion. â€Å"Black or White† by Michael Jackson and Bill Bottrell is a one of the greatest singles in Michael’s career. It was released on November 11, 1991. What inspired Michael to particularly select these two topics? Black or white – as implied in the song, he sings about skin color. Songs starts in Africa, possibly showing Jackson’s â€Å"beginning† – he is black. In one of the scenes, Michael sings â€Å"I ain’t scared of no sheets; I ain’t scared of nobody† – while he is walking through fire images – which is being compared to KKK and its torch ceremonies. Here, he is portraying his painful vision of KKK and its vision. Later, the performers sing â€Å"I’m not gonna spend my life being a color. † What a great statement. Michael, throughout his whole life and his career, shows us his inner and constant fight for a non-racial America. Being black himself, he had struggled and finally came to the top, but still did not achieve the level of happiness – which is â€Å"no color† in his country. Later, Jackson sings on Statue of Liberty’s torch, again possibly reminding us about the KKK, and at the same time – the Statue symbolizes liberty, which for him will be color-free, no discrimination America. We shouldn’t forget about Michael’s actions in this video. In the original version, he is smashing the car, windows and the inn exploded. However, later he had to edit this version to minimize his violent behavior, however. He altered it by adding four racial graffiti messages onto the windows that he was smashing. As I suggested earlier, Michael Jackson is portrayed as an angry black man who simply hates the discrimination against black people and shows his feelings by destroyed his surroundings, as he was being destroyed himself –just for being of black color. In is interesting to observe, the Jackson, when asked to change his destructive aggressive music video, he indeed did change it, but didn’t forget about this hostility towards discrimination. He had just portrayed it differently (graffiti). First message reads: â€Å"Hitler Lives,† then â€Å"Nigger Go Home,† â€Å"No More Wetbacks,† and finally â€Å"KKK Rules. † It can be argued if Michael Jackson is simply smashing windows with those painful ideas – is destroying them – to make a better world? Finally, the song comes from the album â€Å"Dangerous. † What did the author have in mind? Are all of those issues, painful experiences and the fight for non-colored America dangerous? It can be argued that yes. Jackson showed us the dangerous side of being black, where he was always forced to fight and that causes different sorts of trouble. In â€Å"Black or White,† Michael brilliantly portrayed two core problems people were facing daily: black or white. As we look at his lifestyle and constant metamorphoses, Michael Jackson had numerous surgeries that altered the color of his skin and make him â€Å"white. † It is very controversial as many sources quote that Jackson had a condition where one looses a pigment of his skin, called vitiligo. However, Michael Jackson public image is seen as a person who constantly tried to be white, therefore, sought surgeries to help him attain this goal. Michael Jackson shows us that it could have probably been easier to make himself white and not struggle for color-free America, where everyone is equal, no matter of who there are or what they look like. It would also be important to analyze some of the lyrics from Jackson’s music video. He sings: â€Å"I had to tell them I ain’t second to none. † It can be understood that he no longer is accepting the fact that black is â€Å"second,† which is worse, just because of the color. He continues: â€Å"And I told about equality† – he tells us he wants to be considered equal, despite his skin color. Next verse, he has really had enough of being pushed around because he is black â€Å"I am tired of this devil, I am tired of this stuff, I am tired of this business. † Finally, he talks about racism in: â€Å"See, it’s not about races, Just places, Faces, Where your blood, Comes from, Is where your space is, I’ve seen the bright, Get duller, I’m not going to spend, My life being a color. † Here Michael Jackson compares himself to simply being a â€Å"color. † He is less than a human being only because he is not white. He is â€Å"black. † Again, he accents his refusal of living his life being black. He wants to be equal, equal to white. It should be also noted that throughout video, Michael Jackson is wearing black and white clothing (white shirt, black blazer, white accents on his right arm and nails, black shoes, white socks). He seems to be a person caught in a black-and-white world and struggles to change it, showing his pain. However, at the very end, he turns into a black panther. This transformation may symbolize him as a black man who will fight for his rights, yet, still remain black. In book â€Å"The Color of Credit: Mortgage Discrimination, Research Methodology, and Fair-Lending Enforcement† Stephen L. Ross and John Yinger present racial issues and argue the importance of skin color in banking. It should be noted that this book was published in 2002, year where we all think that American people are equal, especially on racial basis. Therefore, why and how does the skin color come into play in banking? First, the American lenders take many factors into consideration when disbursing the mortgage. Such factors include many details such as the creditor’s ability to repay the loan – where the lender accesses the potential risk of losing the loan. There are many different lenders and they base their information on statistics, demographics and make final decision based on the risk factors. Research showed that mainly blacks would seek loans, which are not favorable to all lenders. Therefore such bank does take race into consideration when reviewing for application for credit. It is also shown that blacks will most likely work with subprime lenders (44%) with comparison to whites (only 4%). Blacks generally cannot use the prime mortgage market due to their poor qualifications, thus creating the black to white ratio of getting the mortgage – with figures of 2. 28 denial for prime market and 1. 27 for subprime. At the same time, limited research shows that blacks-even though have some qualifications as white – would remain in the subprime market and thus be charged higher fees. Equal Credit Opportunity Act says: It shall be unlawful for any creditor to discriminate against any applicant, with respect to any aspect of a credit transaction—on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex or marital status, or age (provided the applicant has the capacity to contract). (U. S. Code Title 15, Chapter 41, Section 1691) This would mean that all people should be treated equally in banks, when doing business in banks, no discrimination in credit transaction. However, authors argue that the bank may take a different look at the person and who they are in â€Å"business necessity† can be proved. Therefore, even while it is regulated by law, certain discriminatory practices can and do exist. Later, it would be rather hard to prove that the lender discriminated based for example on race. All regulations are not very clear and courts find it hard to find such a connection of discrimination. It is implied that blacks, with poorer ability to repay, living in lower income communities, must face subprime, expensive mortgages – to possibly make as much money as possible in the shortest time-so if the black borrower defaults on his payments, the lender wouldn’t lose its investment. This is to compare with the white borrower who lives in the richer-type setting, is more likely to meet his payments, therefore, he is offered a prime mortgage rate, without the necessity to further secure the loan. It can be argued if blacks and whites are treated equally, despite many regulations. On one hand, the lender must adhere to all necessary regulations, but on the other hand, such institution can make necessary decisions to make that mortgage profitable – thus, taking all factors into consideration in the application process. We can further analyze that race and color of skin does matter when one is being evaluated for such an application. It is believed that whites pose a lower risk to a financial institution than blacks. This also means, as authors point out, that black are less likely to be approved for a higher-priced home than a white person, which causes the real estate agents to discriminate and not show the more expensive houses to blacks. Maybe they don’t discriminate, they just know that lender is not likely to approve a black person in comparison to the same application of a white person? It is particularly important to note that authors point out that ‘‘on average, black mortgage applications have higher loan-to value and debt-to-income ratios than do white applications. ’’ In closing, it should be noted that while many regulations exist, there is no proof that racial discrimination has gone away and some research suggests that blacks still have lower approval rate in comparison to the whites. It is said that race does play a key role when the lender looks at your mortgage application.

Drilling Engineering Lab Report

Lab Report: DRILLING FLUID (MUD) DENSITY Objective: The aim of this experiment is to determine the mud density, specific gravity and hydrostatic pressure gradient for water-based-mud, WBM (Drilling fluid) using the OFITE mud balance. Theory: Drilling fluids are used during the drilling of boreholes, either for oil wells or water boles holes. One of the major functions of a drilling fluid includes providing hydrostatic pressure to prevent formation fluids from entering the wellbore. To ensure that the hydrostatic pressure balances out with formation pressure and that the wellbore is stable, the mud density has to be taken into consideration. Higher formation pressure require higher mud density (this can be achieved by adding more barite to the drilling fluid) and vice versa. Using an incorrect drilling fluid (in terms of its mud density), can result in a formation damage thereby leading to a well blowout. Equipment and Materials: The mud density is determined using the mud balance shown in Fig. 1. This 4-scale instrument provides an accurate way to measure some parameters which are: Fig. 1 * Density in ppg and pcf * Specific gravity * Pressure gradient in PSI/1000ft) The balance uses the cantilever design (fixed somewhere on the lever arm). The cup is attached to one end and the counter weight on the other end. The lever arm is calibrated, the rider also acts as a counterweight and there is a level glass to determine when the instrument is balanced. A thermometer is also required to measure the temperature of the drilling fluid to be tested. Procedure: The instrument was wiped down and then place in the carrying case. * The temperature of the first drilling fluid (water) was noted down * The mud cup got filled up with the drilling fluid and covered. It got wiped down due to the overflowing liquid from the sides and the opening on the lid. This overflowing shows that the trapped gas/air bubbles, if any, have been expelled and the cup is properly full. * The rider is then moved on the arm to find the equilibrium position i. e. when the bubble in the level glass is in the middle. * The readings are then taken. The cup is rinsed out and wiped down, ready for the next drilling fluid. * The procedure is repeated again, to find the details of the drilling fluid and all results are recorded in a table. Table of Results: | WATER| MUD SAMPLE| Temperature, ? | 19. 60| 17. 00| Specific Gravity | 1. 00| 1. 04| Density, lbm/ft3 (pcf)| 62. 00| 65. 00| Density, lbm/gal (ppg)| 8. 30| 8. 70| Density, Kg/m3| 1000. 00| 1043. 00| Pressure gradient, psi/1000ft| 430. 00| 455. 00| Mud gradient = 8. 7 x 0. 052 = 0. 45 psi/ft Density in g/cm3= 8. 7/8. 345 = 1. 04 g/cm3

Eddie Rickenbacker World War I Ace

Born October 8, 1890, as Edward Reichenbacher, Eddie Rickenbacker was the son of German-speaking Swiss immigrants who had settled in Columbus, OH. He attended school until the age of 12 when following the death of his father, he ended his education to help support his family. Lying about his age, Rickenbacker soon found employment in the glass industry before moving on to a position with the Buckeye Steel Casting Company. Subsequent jobs saw him work for a brewery, bowling alley, and cemetery monument firm. Always mechanically inclined, Rickenbacker later obtained an apprenticeship in the Pennsylvania Railroads machine shops. Increasingly obsessed with speed and technology, he began developing a deep interest in automobiles. This led him to leave the railroad and gain employment with the Frayer Miller Aircooled Car Company. As his skills developed, Rickenbacker began racing his employers cars in 1910. Auto Racing A successful driver, he earned the nickname Fast Eddie and participated in the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911 when he relieved Lee Frayer. Rickenbacker returned to the race in 1912, 1914, 1915, and 1916 as a driver. His best and only finish was placing 10th in 1914, with his car breaking down in the other years. Among his achievements was setting a race speed record of 134 mph while driving a Blitzen Benz. During his racing career, Rickenbacker worked with a variety of automotive pioneers including Fred and August Duesenburg as well as managed the Prest-O-Lite Racing Team. In addition to fame, racing proved extremely lucrative for Rickenbacker as he earned over $40,000 a year as a driver. During his time as a driver, his interest in aviation increased as a result of various encounters with pilots. World War I Intensely patriotic, Rickenbacker immediately volunteered for service upon the United States entry into World War I. After having his offer to form a fighter squadron of race car drivers refused, he was recruited by Major Lewis Burgess to be the personal driver for the commander of the American Expeditionary Force, General John J. Pershing. It was during this time that Rickenbacker anglicized his last name to avoid anti-German sentiment. Arriving in France on June 26, 1917, he commenced work as Pershings driver. Still interested in aviation, he was hampered by his lack of a college education and the perception that he lacked the academic ability to succeed in flight training. Rickenbacker received a break when he was requested to repair the car of the chief of the US Army Air Service, Colonel Billy Mitchell. Fighting to Fly Though considered old (he was 27) for flight training, Mitchell arranged for him to be sent to flight school at Issoudun. Moving through the course of instruction, Rickenbacker was commissioned as a first lieutenant on October 11, 1917. Upon completion of training, he was retained at the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center at Issoudun as an engineering officer due to his mechanical skills. Promoted to captain on October 28, Mitchell had Rickenbacker appointed as the chief engineering officer for the base.   Permitted to fly during his off hours, he was prevented from entering combat. In this role, Rickenbacker was able to attend aerial gunnery training at Cazeau in January 1918 and advanced flight training a month later at Villeneuve-les-Vertus. After locating a suitable replacement for himself, he applied to Major Carl Spaatz for permission to join the newest US fighter unit, the 94th Aero Squadron. This request was granted and Rickenbacker arrived at the front in April 1918. Known for its distinctive Hat in the Ring insignia, the 94th Aero Squadron would become one of the most famous American units of the conflict and included notable pilots such as Raoul Lufbery, Douglas Campbell, and Reed M. Chambers. To the Front Flying his first mission on April 6, 1918, in company with veteran Major Lufbery, Rickenbacker would go on to log over 300 combat hours in the air. During this early period, the 94th occasionally encountered the famed Flying Circus of the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen. On April 26, while flying a Nieuport 28, Rickenbacker scored his first victory when he brought down a German Pfalz. He achieved the status of ace on May 30 after downing two Germans in one day. In August the 94th transitioned to the newer, stronger SPAD S.XIII. In this new aircraft Rickenbacker continued to add to his total and on September 24 was promoted to command the squadron with the rank of captain. On October 30, Rickenbacker downed his twenty-sixth and final aircraft making him the top American scorer of the war. Upon the announcement of the armistice, he flew over the lines to view the celebrations. Returning home, he became the most celebrated aviator in America. During the course of the war, Rickenbacker downed a total of seventeen enemy fighters, four reconnaissance aircraft, and five balloons. In recognition of his achievements, he received the Distinguished Service Cross a record eight times as well as the French Croix de Guerre and Legion of Honor.   On November 6, 1930, the Distinguished Service Cross earned for attacking seven German aircraft (downing two) on September 25, 1918, was elevated to the Medal of Honor by President Herbert Hoover.  Returning to the United States, Rickenbacker served as a speaker on a Liberty Bond tour before writing his memoirs entitled Fighting the Flying Circus. Postwar Settling into postwar life, Rickenbacker married Adelaide Frost in 1922. The couple soon adopted two children, David (1925) and William (1928). That same year, he started Rickenbacker Motors with  Byron F. Everitt, Harry Cunningham, and Walter Flanders as partners. Using the 94ths Hat in the Ring insignia to market its cars, Rickenbacker Motors sought to achieve the goal of bringing racing-developed technology to the consumer auto industry. Though he was soon driven out of business by the larger manufacturers, Rickenbacker pioneered advances that later caught on such as four-wheel braking. In 1927, he purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for $700,000 and introduced banked curves while significantly upgrading the facilities. Operating the track until 1941, Rickenbacker closed it during World War II. With the end of the conflict, he lacked the resources to make necessary repairs and sold the track to Anton Hulman, Jr. Continuing his connection to aviation, Rickenbacker bought Eastern Air Lines in 1938. Negotiating with the federal government to purchase air mail routes, he revolutionized how commercial airlines operated. During his tenure with Eastern he oversaw the companys growth from a small carrier to one that was influential on the national level. On February 26, 1941, Rickenbacker was nearly killed when the Eastern DC-3 on which he was flying crashed outside Atlanta. Suffering numerous broken bones, a paralyzed hand, and an expelled left eye, he spent months in the hospital but made a full recovery. World War II With the outbreak of World War II, Rickenbacker volunteered his services to the government. At the request of Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, Rickenbacker visited various Allied bases in Europe to assess their operations. Impressed by his findings, Stimson dispatched him to the Pacific on a similar tour as well as to deliver a secret message to General Douglas MacArthur rebuking him for negative comments that he made about the Roosevelt Administration. En route in October 1942, the B-17 Flying Fortress Rickenbacker was aboard went down in the Pacific due to faulty navigation equipment. Adrift for 24 days, Rickenbacker led the survivors in catching food and water until they were spotted by a US Navy OS2U Kingfisher near Nukufetau. Recovering from a mix of sunburn, dehydration, and near-starvation, he completed his mission before returning home. In 1943, Rickenbacker requested permission to travel to the Soviet Union to aid with their American-built aircraft and to assess their military capabilities. This was granted and he reached Russia via Africa, China, and India along a route that had been pioneered by Eastern. Respected by the Soviet military, Rickenbacker made recommendations pertaining the aircraft provided through Lend-Lease as well as toured an  Ilyushin Il-2  Sturmovik factory. While he successfully accomplished his mission, the trip is best remembered for his error in alerting the Soviets to the secret B-29 Superfortress project.   For his contributions during the war, Rickenbacker received the Medal of Merit. Post-War With the war concluded, Rickenbacker returned to Eastern. He remained in charge of the company until its position began to erode due to subsidies to other airlines and a reluctance to acquire jet aircraft.   On October 1, 1959, Rickenbacker was forced from his position as CEO and replaced by Malcolm A. MacIntyre. Though deposed from his former position, he stayed on as chairman of the board until December 31, 1963. Now 73, Rickenbacker and his wife began traveling the world enjoying retirement. The famed aviator died in Zurich, Switzerland on July 27, 1973, after suffering a stroke.