Cochran, Jacqueline (1906–1980)

American aviator and businesswoman. Born May 11, 1906, probably somewhere in northern Florida; died in Indio, California, Aug 9, 1980; orphaned, parents unknown; m. Floyd B. Odlum (financier), May 11, 1936.

One of the world's most famous woman fliers, held the greatest number of speed, distance, and altitude records of any pilot, male or female; was the 1st woman to break the sound barrier, the 1st woman to make a blind landing, and the 1st woman to fly a British bomber; also held practically all the men's records for propeller-driven planes; took flying lessons at Roosevelt Field (1932); was the only American woman entrant in the McRobertson London-to-Melbourne air race (1934); in Bendix Cross-Country Air Race, against world competition, placed 3rd overall (1937), 1st overall (1938), 2nd overall (1946), 3rd overall (1948); set women's national altitude record, international open-class speed record for both men and women, New York-to-Miami Air Race record, and world speed record for 100 and for 2,000 kilometers (1939–40); won 15 Harmon international trophies; during WWII, served as director of women pilots for Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS, 1943–44); commissioned lieutenant colonel in Air Force Reserves (1948), retiring at rank of full colonel (1970); flew Canadian-built Sabrejet F-86 to become the 1st woman to soar faster than the speed of sound (1953); piloting an A3J plane, was the 1st woman to fly at Mach 2, twice the speed of sound (1960); served as president of Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (1958–61), the only woman to have held that office. Awarded Distinguished Service Medal (1945) and Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak-leaf clusters (1969).

See also autobiographies The Stars at Noon (Little, Brown, 1954) and (with Maryann Bucknum Brinley) Jackie Cochran (Bantam, 1987); and Women in World History.