Historical Figure- Charles Lindbergh

Charles Lindbergh was born to mother Evangeline Land at her mother's house in February of 1902. His mother was a chemistry teacher for Detroit and his father, Charles Lindbergh was a lawyer and Minnesota's Sixth District congressman from 1907 through 1917. Although he often took trips to Washington DC to spend time with his father, Charles Lindbergh spent most of his time growing up on his family's farm in Little Falls Minnesota. His desire to pursue aviation began at an early age when he witnessed a plane flying over the family farm one day.

When he had completed high school Lindbergh spent the next two years running the farm where he had grown up. In 1920 he enrolled in the University of Wisconsin in Madison to study engineering. By 1922 his love of flying overcame him and he began flight school in Lincoln Nebraska. While in school Charles Lindbergh worked as a mechanic and a parachute jumper. In 1923 he bought his very first plane and made his first solo flight.

Just a short year later Charles Lindbergh entered an army flying school where he saw the benefits of his training right away. He graduated first in his class and in 1926 became the first air mail pilot to travel between Saint Louis and Chicago. Ever the adventure seeker Charles Lindbergh convinced a group of businessmen to back him in an attempt to win a $25,000 prize that had been offered by hotel mogul Raymond Orteig since 1919. The plane "Spirit of Saint Louis" was partially designed by Lindbergh and constructed by Ryan Airlines of San Diego for the attempted flight between New York and Paris France.

Tragedy struck Lindbergh and his wife Anne in 1932 when their son Charles Jr. was kidnapped and never found. Horrified by the loss of their child the couple sought solace in England then eventually France. While living over seas the Lindberghs had five children and Charles worked with Dr. Alexis Carrel on the first version of the artificial heart. Throughout his life Charles Lindbergh was involved in commercial and millitary aviation. He was also a very accomplished writer and did a lot for the development of several primitive tribes.Charles Lindbergh passed away in his Hawaiian home on August the 26th 1974

-Amber Vrolyk