Full Name: Mr. Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr.
Date of Birth: February 4, 1902
Place of Birth: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Died: August 26, 1974
Place of Death: Maui, Hawaii, USA
Classification: Heroes & Icons
Known as Lucky Lindy and The Lone Eagle, Charles Lindbergh became internationally famous as the first man to complete a solo transatlantic flight from Long Island, New York to Paris, France. What is not widely known is that Lindbergh also led an interesting political and environmental career where he would use his competitive fervor to gain public attention on a variety of international issues.
Born in Michigan, but growing up in Minnesota, Lindbergh had a special attraction to machinery and to flight. He began studying mechanical engineering but quit to follow his dreams of becoming a pilot of his own plane. After a short stint as a stunt pilot, Lindbergh joined the Arm Air Service. Soon after, he would fly airmail with Robertson Aircraft from Missouri to Chicago.
While he was known to pilot in any conditions, he did not gain international fame until his solo flight in a plane called The Spirit of St. Louis. When he arrived in Paris, he was greeted as an international hero and icon for both the French and American people. He was awarded the French Legion of Honor and when he returned to the United States, he was awarded the Flying Cross.
With his success, the aviation industry found new energy and financing into building planes for longer flights. Lindbergh’s success in using less fuel, traveling at higher altitudes, and crossing over the northern hemisphere would set the precedent for aviation in both the US and Europe.
After the abduction and killing of Lindbergh’s infant son, sparking controversy across the United States, the Lindbergh family moved to Europe where he worked with some German aviation companies. He was the only American allowed to see Germany’s slick new bombers and even piloted them on test flights.
With the advent of World War II, Lindbergh wanted the United States to remain neutral against Germany. He thought the war with Germany was worthless, that Germany could not be stopped, and communism would eventually spread to the U.S. due to the rising power of the Soviets. He did not support the Nazis or their regime and reported anything he learned about German aviation to the Americans. He also saw the Soviets as a threat to the American way of life.
Later in his life, Lindberg worked for the preservation of the native people of Hawaii and fought for the protection of whales. He also set up organizations to help people in lesser-developed continents, namely in Africa, and he believed technology should work hand-in-hand and not contrary to nature.
