Mary Riddle

Mary Riddle
Born (1902-04-22)April 22, 1902
Bruceport, Washington
Died October 25, 1981(1981-10-25) (aged 79)
Portland, Oregon
Nationality Quinault, American
Other names Kus-de-cha
Known for Second Native American woman airplane pilot

Mary Riddle also known as Kus-de-cha or Kingfisher,[1] (April 22, 1902 – October 25, 1981) was the second Native American woman to earn a pilot's license, with Bessie Coleman being the first.[2][3] Soon after earning her pilot's license she also earned her commercial license.[4] Riddle trained as a pilot in Portland and was a member of the Clatsop Tribe in Oregon[2] and the Quinault Indian Nation in Washington.[5] Riddle started training with Tex Rankin in 1927.[6] She was qualified to fly solo in 1930.[7] Also in 1930, she planned to fly to Washington D.C. with "beaded gifts for President Hoover from Indian Tribes."[8] In June 1934, she was featured on the 99's magazine, The 99er.[9] By 1937 she was performing as a parachutist.[10] She later went to the Spartan School in Tulsa to learn parachute jumping.[11] She did over forty parachute jumps.[6] During World War II, she was recruited by the government to inspect civilian aircraft and work as an aircraft maintenance advisor.[6]

See also

Bessie Coleman

References

  1. ↑ "To Dare Death Here". The Bismarck Tribune. 20 May 1937. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 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. ↑ "Mary Riddle, First Native American Woman Aviator". www.oneofmanyfeathers.com. Retrieved 2017-03-04.
  5. ↑ "Indian Girl is Full-Fledged Flyer". Rock Valley Bee. 11 July 1930. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. 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.
  7. ↑ "Pictoral Supplement". The Scranton Republic. 21 June 1930. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Camera Record of the Day's News". The Evening Review. 15 July 1930. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ French, Jack (2011). "Lady Aviators: In History and Popular Fiction from the 1700s to World War II". Winged Victory. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  10. ↑ "A look back..." The Daily News. 28 April 1977. Retrieved 31 August 2016 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "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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