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Member Number: 3831
Aviator. Born on July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas. Inspired by her first ride in an airplane in 1920, Amelia Earhart became one of the greatest female pilots of the twentieth century. She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic in 1928.
It was in Los Angeles that Amelia Earhart took that fateful first ride at an air show, and she worked odd jobs to help pay for flying lessons and to buy her first plane. By 1922, Earhart was flying solo. Still flying was her hobby until her historic trip of 1928. At the invitation of publisher George Putnam, she became the first woman to flying across the Atlantic—as a passenger. On June 3, 1928, Earhart joined pilot Wilmer “Bill” Stultz and co-pilot Louis E. “Slim” Gordon across the Atlantic. They left from Newfoundland and landed at Burry Port, Wales, more than 20 hours later. After the flight, Earhart’s achievement made headlines around the world. When she returned home, she was treated like a celebrity and even received a parade in New York City. Earhart then made flying her life.
Amelia Earhart crossed the Atlantic again in 1932—all on her own. On May 20, she left from Harbor Grace, Newfoundland. Earhart had intended to land in Paris, but technical problems forced her to land earlier than expected. Landing in a field near Londonderry, Northern Ireland, she made the trip in close to 15 hours. Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. For her courageous feat, Earhart received many honors, including a medal from the National Geographic Society and the Distinguished Flying Cross from the U.S. Congress.
Hungry for new challenges, Amelia Earhart set the solo record for flying coast to coast that same year. She continued to set more records for her brave journeys. And in 1937, Earhart set out on her most daring adventure of all. After one failed attempt, she started to make her way around the world on June 1. Leaving from Miami, Florida, Earhart with navigator Bill Noonan made it to New Guinea on June 30. On July 2, they took off for their next stop, which was supposed to be tiny Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean, but they never made it there. The last radio contact with Earhart was on the morning of July 3.
An extensive search was made of the area, but no traces of Earhart, Noonan, or their plane were found. The world mourned the disappearance of the great aviatrix called “Lady Lindy” by some after Charles Lindbergh, another aviation pioneer. The mystery of what happened to Earhart on her final flight has never been solved. She was survived by her husband George Putnam. He published her autobiography, Last Flight (1937), after her disappearance.
Today, Amelia Earhart is remembered for her bravery and determination. She took on many challenges that no one—man or woman—was willing to do. Earhart showed the world that a woman can be as good of a pilot as any man.
Source: biography.com
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