Mary Riddle

Mary Riddle (also known as Kus-de-cha or Kingfisher[1]) was the first Native American woman to earn a pilot's license.[2][3] Riddle trained as a pilot in Portland and was a member of the Quinault Indian Nation in Washington.[4] Riddle started training with Tex Rankin in 1927.[5] She was qualified to fly solo in 1930.[6] Also in 1930, she planned to fly to Washington D.C. with "beaded gifts for President Hoover from Indian Tribes."[7] In June 1934, she was featured on the 99's magazine, The 99er.[8] By 1937 she was performing as a parachutist.[9] She later went to the Spartan School in Tulsa to learn parachute jumping.[10] She did over forty parachute jumps.[5] During World War II, she was recruited by the government to inspect civilian aircraft and work as an aircraft maintenance advisor.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "To Dare Death Here". The Bismarck Tribune. 20 May 1937. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Mary Riddle, First Native American Woman Aviator". One of Many Feathers. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  3. ↑ "Future Beauty Queen: Wins French Crown: To-morrow's Citizen". The Ottawa Journal. 10 June 1930. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Indian Girl is Full-Fledged Flyer". Rock Valley Bee. 11 July 1930. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 3 Speirs, Jim (28 May 2010). "Tex Rankin's Flying School, and the Golden Age of Women aviators" (PDF). St. Johns Review. 107 (11): 1. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "Pictoral Supplement". The Scranton Republic. 21 June 1930. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Camera Record of the Day's News". The Evening Review. 15 July 1930. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ French, Jack (2011). "Lady Aviators: In History and Popular Fiction from the 1700s to World War II". Winged Victory. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  9. ↑ "A look back...". The Daily News. 28 April 1977. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newpapers.com.
  10. ↑ "A. W. Lucas Co. Sponsoring Spectacular Parachute Jump by Princess Kus-de-cha". The Bismarck Tribune. 21 May 1937. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
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