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Archives at The Museum of Flight


Riddle, Mary, 1902-1981

 Person

Biographical Note

Mary Riddle was the first Native American woman to earn pilot's license, and later her commercial license.

Mary Riddle, also known as Kus-da-cha or Kingfisher, was born on April 22, 1902 to Albert "Doc" Riddle. She was part of the Clatsop and Quinault tribes. She attended the Rankin Flying School and earned her pilot's license in 1930, flying her first solo flight on May 10, 1930. She also attended school to learn parachuting and by 1937, she was touring the United States and performing jumps from planes. Health problems caused her to cease parachuting. During World War II, she was not able to fly as a woman, but was hired as civilian aircraft inspector and aircraft maintenance advisor. Post-war, she flew for pleasure and worked as a receptionist.

She was a member of the Ninety-Nines and the Associated Women Pilots of Boeing Field. Mary Riddle died on October 25, 1981.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Dorothy (Hester) Stenzel Collection

 Collection
Identifier: 1992-09-26
Abstract Dorothy (Hester) Stenzel (1910-1991) was born in Ardenwald, Oregon and learned to fly in the late 1920s. Stenzel then gained fame for stunt flying and broke several records through the mid-1930s. The collection contains seven (7) scrapbooks and assorted textual materials and photographs that document Stenzel's career as one of the first female stunt pilots.

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