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Copyright © 1962 by Marjorie Stinson. All rights reserved.

KATHERINE STINSON
United States

[[strikethrough]] RESTRICTED (PHOTOGRAPH)) [[/strikethrough]]

Info

Federation Aeronautique Internationale (Aero Club of America) Pilot's Certificate NO. 148, dated July 24, 1912.
Learned to fly at Chicago, Ill., U. S. A. - Flying Instructor, Max Lillie. First solo for license trials, July 19, 1912. Wright B. Biplans; Wright 30 Motor. 
Partial list of aviation activities;
First woman authorized to carry U. S. Air Mail, Helena, Monta., Sept. 23-27, 1913. Official Air Mail Route No. 663,002. (1).
First woman in the world to loop-the-loop in a plane. Chicago, Ill., July 18, 1915. Also looped at Grant Park, Chicago, Ill., Aug 2-7, 1915; also looped at Caro, Michigan State Fair, Sept. 13, 1915. (2).
First Woman to do night sky-writing with fireworks, at Los Angeles, Calif., Dec. 17, 1915. (3).
First woman to fly in the Orient; Six months[[footnote 1]] tour of Exhibition Flying in Japan and China, 1916-1917.
First person to fly non-stop from San Diego to San Francisco, Calif., crossing Tehachepi Mountains at 9,000 feet, Dec. 11, 1917. This flight established a new Endurance Record of 9 hours and 10 minutes (4)
Established two new Records; Non-stop Distance of 601,763 miles; and Duration 10 hours and 10 minutes. Plane used, Curtiss biplane, Motor, Curtiss 100 HP. Flight began at Chicago Ill., ended at Binghamton, New York, May 23, 1918. For this flight she received Aero Club of America Award (5)
First Civilian to carry Air Mail in Canada; Calgary to Edmonton, July 9, 1918. 196 miles in 2 hours. (6).
Many other notable flights, honors, and decorations.
Many exhibition flights,
In behalf of American Red Cross, among others, flights from Buffalo to Rochester to Syracuse to Albany to New York to Philadelphia thence to Washington, D. C., June 25, 1917. This long flight with its many stops was of tremendous help in stimulating interest in the Red Cross Campaign for $100,000,000 for aid during the War. (7).
Other War Efforts - During World War I, Katherine Stinson went to France as an American Red Cross Ambulance Driver. During World War II, she was a Red Cross Volunteer Worker in the United States. 
Katherine is the eldest of the family of four Stinson pioneer flyers; the others being Edward A. (Eddie), Marjorie and Jack. She resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico and is married to Miguel Otero.

References - (DLC denotes publications in the Library of Congress, Washington, D.

(1)- "Stamps", Dec. 9, 1933, page 362 (N. Stinson Collection); also Montana Daily Record, Sept. 24, 1913, page 1. (DLC).
(2)- "Flying" (official publication, Aero Club of America) Aug., 1915, pages 628 and 630; Chicago Tribune, July 18, 1915, page 7 (DLC); Aerial Age, Aug. 23, 1915, page 545 (DLC); Aerial Age, Sept. 13, 1915 (DLC); Billboard. Aug. 7. 1915, page 14 (DLC); London Flight, Nov. 12, 1915 page 874 (DLC).
(3)- Los Angeles Times, Dec. 18, 1915, Sec. II, page 1 (DLC); San Antonio (Texas) Express, Dec. 22, 1917, page 12 (DLC).
(4)- Los Angeles Times, Dec. 12, 1917, page 6 (DLC); San Francisco Examiner, Dec. 12, 1917, pages 1 and 2 (DLC); San Francisco Examiner, Dec. 13, 1917, page 5 (DLC).
(5)- "Flying", Dec. 1918, pages 1067 (DLC); Aero Club of America Year Book of 1919, page 180 (DLC file No. TL 501.A26)
(6)- "Curtiss Flyleaf", July, 1918, pages 13 & 14. (M. Stinson Collection).
(7)- London "Flight, Aug. 9, 1917, (DLC); Washington, D. C. Star, June 25, 1917, page 1; also Washington Star, June 26, 1917, pages 2 and 3 (DL

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Received from Marjorie Stinson, Apr.