Rocket Sled Pioneers

Eli Lackland Beeding Jr. (December 17, 1928 - December 21, 2013) was a U.S. Air Force captain and rocket test subject. In 1958, a series experiments using a miniature rocket sled began at Holloman AFB under the supervision of Colonel John Stapp and Captain Beeding. Participants rode the "Daisy Sled" (so-called because it was originally designed to be air, and not rocket, powered) at various speeds and in many different positions — even head first — in an attempt to learn more about the g-force limits of the human body.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Beeding