Jacqueline Cochran, American Aviator Part I Of II

One of our readers recently requested that we showcase postage stamps that depict women pilots. I hope you enjoy reading about Jacqueline Cochran, who was a female pioneer American aviator.

Jacqueline Cochran, (a.k.a. Bessie Lee Pittman) was born on May 11, 1906 near Mobile, Alabama. Her family moved from town to town while her father set up and reworked existing saw mills. By the age of 14, Jacqueline married Robert Cochran who was a naval aircraft mechanic in Pensacola, Florida. After a few short years of marriage, Jacqueline filed for divorce and moved back to northwest Florida to be closer to her parents.

It was not long afterwards that Cochran became a hairdresser and eventually ended up moving to New York City. She worked at Saks Fifth Avenue and developed her own line of cosmetics.
In the 1930’s a friend offered her a ride on an airplane. Cochran fell in love with flying and soon began taking flying lessons. She learned to fly within an astounding three weeks time. She obtained her commercial pilots license within two years and began flying her own airplane around the United States promoting her cosmetic line called “Wings.” Cochran married Floyd Bostwick Odlum who was one of the ten richest men in the world at that time.

Please check back on Monday for the conclusion to this story.