Amelia Earhart was a Kansas-born girl with a passion for flying. Her life was changed forever when she and her father visited an airfield in 1920, where she bought herself and her father a ten-minute ride in an airplane. “By the time I had got two or three hundred feet off the ground,” she said, “I knew I had to fly.” Eventually in 1923, Amelia Earhart became the 16th woman ever to be issued a pilot’s license.
After many roadblocks and extreme challenges, Amelia Earhart publicly announced her plans to circumnavigate the globe. She attempted to do so in 1937 and the journey went well until she began to descend towards Howland Island. There were a series of radio mishaps, and Amelia couldn’t be heard after the following transmission: “We must be on you, but cannot see you, but gas is running low. Have been unable to reach you by radio. We are flying at 1,000 feet. Little did anyone know that was the last message they would ever receive from her. Beginning approximately one hour after that last recorded message, a search north and west of Howland Island began but was unsuccessful. The official search efforts lasted just over two weeks, ending on July 19, 1937.
But that was just the official search. To this day people are still looking for her – people who remember her as the legend she was. People she inspired. People who, like her, haven’t given up.
-Katie Babbott
For more information, visit the Amelia Earhart website.
Check back tomorrow to find out about a heroine who earned a perfect 10.