Elder, Ruth (1902–1977)

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Elder, Ruth (1902–1977)

American pioneer. Born Sept 8, 1902, in Anniston, Alabama; died in San Francisco, California, Oct 9, 1977; married 6 times, including to Lyle Womack (div. 1928), C.E. Moody (div.), and Walter Camp Jr. (div.).

Student pilot who enjoyed brief notoriety following her unsuccessful attempt to become the 1st airplane passenger to cross the Atlantic (Sept 1927); setting out with a male pilot from Tampa, Florida, in a plane called the American Girl, ran into trouble 250 miles short of the coast of Spain, when an oil leak forced them to deliberately crash in the ocean; was cited for her daring in ceremonies in Paris and at the White House, where she was heralded as the "Miss America of Aviation" but was soon upstaged by Amelia Earhart; went on to an undistinguished movie career.

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