The heroes of early aviation were men who tested dubious airplanes to see if they would fly. or bailed out with questionable parachutes to see if they would open. Much of this work today is done by expendable instruments, but a few human risk-takers are still needed. One of them is a 44-year-old medical officer at Holloman Air Development Center, Alamogordo. N. Mex. His colleagues consider him the bravest man alive.
Lieut. Colonel John Paul Stapp is a shortish (5 ft. 8 in.) bachelor with a small, neat paunch. He speaks with professorial precision, wears gold-rimmed glasses, likes to cook, grows roses...