First a confession- between all my spring travel for SOAR, ELINOR! and preparations for the August release of THE MAP OF ME I’ve been so busy I’ve neglected my daily blog posts. But for the next few weeks life promises to be a little more predictable so let’s get back on track…

May 25, 2000 A historical marker was erected in Arcadia, Michigan to celebrate the life of America’s first licensed female pilot, Harriet Quimby.

May 26, 1951 Sally Ride, the first American woman to launch into space, was born. At age 32, Ride also became America’s youngest astronaut.

May 27, 1929 Anne Morrow married Charles Lindbergh. Morrow became America’s first licensed female glider pilot, earned a fixed wing license, and co-piloted many of her husband’s aviation adventures.

May 28, 1911 Only six months after receiving her license, Jeanne Herveaux debuted her flying show in Lyon, France.

May 29, 1971 Maryse Carmichael, the first female member of Canada’s Snowbirds, was born.

May 30, 1907 Aviation pioneer Elly Beinhorn was born in Hanover, Germany. Beinhorn achieved flying fame in the 1930’s and continued to fly until age 72.

May 31, 1931 Pepsi debuted its “Drink Pepsi” aerial ad. During the 1980’s Suzanne Asbury, the world’s only female skywriter, continued the campaign.

June 1, 19931 Puerto Rico’s first female aviator, Clara Livingston, greeted Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan in San Juan.

June 2, 1998 Wendy Lawrence, the first female graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy to launch into space, lifted off from Kennedy Space Center.

June 3, 1994 The Canadian Broadcast Company aired SPITFIRES IN THE RHODODENDRONS, a documentary about Canadian women in the British Air Transport Auxiliary. It featured Marion Orr and Violet Milstead.

June 4, 1974 Sally Murphy became the first woman to qualify as an aviator in the United States Army.

June 5, 1999 The space shuttle Discovery landed with Julie Payette onboard.

June 6, 1944 D-day. After the invasion of Normandy women were no longer permitted to deliver planes to combat zones on the continent. Until that time, valiant women like Betty Lussier had secretly flown over Algeria, Sicily, Italy, and France.

June 7, 1966 Joan Wallick and her husband Robert set an eastward round-the-world record flying a Beech Baron C-55.

June 8, 1985 Carolyn Pilaar was selected to lead the U. S. at the 6th World Precision Flying Championships.

June 9, 1989 Canadians Jane Foster and Deanna Marie Barsseur graduated from CF-18 training, becoming the world’s first women to pilot military fighter jets.

June 10, 1919 Ruth Law set a women’s altitude record of 14,000 feet and asked for permission to fly with U. S. forces in WWI. Her request was denied.

June 11, 1948 The Women’s Armed Forces Integration Act gave women in the Air Force permanent status in the U.S. military.

June 12, 2001 WASP Alberta Hunt Nicholson unveiled a plaque in her honor at the Utah Aviation Hall Of Fame.

June 13, 1964 Dee Baer and Fran Gustavson started a Nevada chapter of the Ninety-Nines, the international organization of women pilots and volunteered at the first Reno Air Races.

June 14, 1963 Jacqueline Auriol broke the sound barrier, flying 1,266 mph, the second woman after Jackie Cochran to perform the feat.

June 15, 2005 Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi became the first Saudi woman commercial airline pilot. Like other women in her country, she was not permitted to hold a driver’s license.

June 16, 1963 Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space, launching in Vostok 6.

June 17, 2005 The Bessie Coleman Foundation, an organization formed to empower African-American female pilots, held its 10th annual meeting.

June 18, 1943 WASP trainee Dorothy Ebersbach soloed for the first time and sent her father a telegram that said “Soloed today. Everything Hokey Dokey. Love, Dorothy.” In April 2010 she was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest and most distinguished award Congress can award to a civilian.

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