Who was Amelia Earhart? Well we know she was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean alone. She also made an attempt to fly around the world but came up missing.
Who was Geraldine “Jerrie” Fredritz Mock? She was another woman among many women pilots. However, she was the first one to complete her mission of flying around the world alone. Jerrie Mock was from Newark, Ohio. She survived the Great Depression, WWII, and the Cold War at Depression, World War II, the Cold War
1925 – November, 22nd, Geraldine was born
1932 – Jerrie had the flying bug at age 7 (her mother’s maiden name was Wright)
1945 - She married Russell Mock and they had 3 children. This ended her schooling with Ohio State University’s Aeronautical Engineering program.
1956 – She took her first flying lesson.
1961 – Jerri was the first woman to be licensed by Ohio to manage an airport. She also managed Logan County Airport at one time which was was located in Illinois.
1964 – Jerrie to flight for 29 days and approximately 22,860 miles to complete her trip around the world. This trip came about by Jerrie’s desire to do something of interest. Her husband supported her desire in the decision.
Al Baumeister and Russell bought a 1953 Cessna-180 for her journey.
After many additions and revisions to the Cessna that would allow her to travel 25 hours before refueling. The Cessna was named “Spirit of Columbus.” Apparently a friend named Brigadier General O. F. Dick Lassiter and John Peck” Eddie Rickenbacker’s personal mechanic” gave her advice concerning her flight. Jerrie needed a sponsor and the Columbus Dispatch did just that. Can you imagine being a 38 yr old mother of three children heading out on this journey and later telling your classmates that your mom took on such a task.
1983 - According to records I found in 1983 she lived at 1130 Moundview Ave, Newark, Oh 43055. Isn’t it exciting when you discover someone famous had lived in the very same house you now live? Hope this is a nice surprise for the homeowners who live there.
1992 – Records show her living in Quincy Florida
During her flight around the world she mistakenly caused such ado while in route to Cairo Airport that truck of soldiers and soldiers on the ground with guns quickly surrounded the Cessna-180. She had landed in Egypt at a secret military base, not the intended destination of the Cairo Airport. Whew! They were no accustom to seeing a woman pilot.
As a child she wanted to see a baby elephant, which she did in Sri Lanka and also road and camel in Egypt. Jerrie was most ecstatic when she met Suchria Ali, a commercial glider pilot and Pakistan’s’ most famous woman flier.
Geraldine Mock wrote a book called: Three-eight Charlie. She was always interested in the life of Amelia Earhart.
Jerrie was inducted at the 19th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, held from March 2008
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