Many know the sad tale surrounding Amelia Earhart’s disappearance during her attempted flight around the world. But most are unaware of the astonishing accomplishments of the American aviator from Atchison, Kansas.
“Women, like men, should try to do the impossible. And when they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others.” – Amelia Earhart.
1923
Amelia first made news, and a record, as the first woman to obtain a pilot’s license by the National Aeronautic Association when she cleared an altitude of 11,000 feet.
1928
Earhart was the first woman to cross the Atlantic in an airplane. She made headlines with her fellow fliers, Wilmer Stultz and Lou Gordon, when their American monoplane “Friendship” barely made it to the shore of Wales just as their gas supply was exhausted. The Altoona Mirror, on July 18, 1928, splashed pictures of the trio across its front page along with many references to Earhart’s name in the news of the day.
1929
The first-ever transcontinental air derby for women took place when 35 female fliers left Santa Monica, California, to race their way to Cleveland, Ohio. Amelia was one of the participants in the journey fraught with danger, death, and suspense. Many newspapers chronicled the race as it unfolded, including the El Paso Evening Post, which reported that Earhart was the first reach El Paso and was in second place overall, just 18 minutes behind leader Gladys O’Donnell.
1932
By this point in her career, Earhart was crushing records left and right. In May of 1932, she set multiple records with her second time crossing the Atlantic. The aviatrix was headline news in the Washington Evening Star, making front page news in the nation’s capital. She was typically referred to as Amelia Earhart, but this edition showcased her as Mrs. Putnam.
1935
Amelia makes a daring solo flight across the Pacific from Honolulu, Hawaii to Oakland, California, to smash yet another record. “Amelia Earns Many Firsts in Air Annals” highlights a list of her impressive accomplishments. While many note her as the first woman, several mark her as the first person.
1937
On June 1, 1937, Earhart left Miami, Florida, headed to Puerto Rico on the infamous 28,000-mile flight around the world in her $80,000 monoplane. Captain Fred Noonan accompanied her as navigator.
A month later, on July 2, 1937, Amelia’s plane went missing near Howland Island in the Pacific. Newspapers everywhere reported the ill-fated voyage. The Carroll Daily Herald captured the story in pictures and an incredible article entitled “Tale of 16-Day Search Ending in Total Failure.”
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