Jerrie Mock
Geraldine "Jerrie" Fredritz Mock (born November 22, 1925 in Newark, Ohio) was the first woman to fly solo around the world.[1] The trip ended April 17, 1964 and took 29 days, 21 stopovers and almost 22,860 miles.[2] She was subsequently awarded the Louis Blériot medal the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
The United States Air Force named a street in honor of her at Rickenbacker AFB (presently Rickenbacker International Airport) in Lockbourne, Ohio (near Columbus).
Jerrie now resides in Quincy, Florida and a plaque bearing her accomplishments can be found in the Tallahassee Regional Airport's Aviation Wall of Fame.
She is a member of Phi Mu Fraternity and the mother of three children.
Early life
Geraldine "Jerrie" Mock was born November 22, 1925 in a suburban neighborhood of Newark, OH. She was the oldest of 3 sisters, but during her childhood she found more in common with the boys. Her interest for flying was sparked when she was 12 years old when she and her father had the opportunity to fly in the cockpit of a Ford Trimotor airplane. In high school she took an engineering course of which she was the only girl and decided flying was her passion. She graduated from Newark High School (Ohio) in 1940 and went on to attend Ohio University majoring in engineering.
Accomplishments and Recognitions
Official World Aviation Records Set or Taken 1964-1969
(Sanctioned and accepted by the National Aeronautic Association and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale)
1964
- Speed around the world, Class C1-c
- Speed around the world, Feminine
1965
- Speed over a closed course of 500KM, Class C1-b
1966
- Distance in a straight line, Feminine
1968
- Distance in a closed course, Class C1-c
- Distance in a closed course, Feminine
- Speed over a recognized course
1969
- Speed over a recognized course
Significant “Firsts”
- First woman to fly solo around the world
- First woman to fly U.S. – Africa via North Atlantic
- First woman to fly the Pacific single-engine
- First woman to fly the Pacific West to East
- First woman to fly both the Atlantic and Pacific
- First woman to fly the Pacific both directions
Awards in Recognition of Accomplishments in Aviation
Metals, Plaques, Trophies:
- Federal Aviation Agency Gold Metal for Exceptional Service
- Ohio Governor’s Award
- Louis Bleriot Silver Metal(World-Wide award of Fédération Aéronautique Internationale)
- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Special Award
- Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Award of the Year
- Experimental Aircraft Association Special Award
- Ohio Aviation Trades Association Sparky Award
- Amelia Earhart Memorial Award, 1964
- Aero Classic Aviation Progress Award, 1965
- National Aviation Trades Association Pilot-of-the-Year Award, 1964
- Glenn Hammond Curtiss Silver Metal, Pittsburgh OX-5 Club
- Milestones in Manned Flight Trophy, Trans World Airlines
- Wadsworth, Ohio, Aero Club Special Award
- Kansas 99’s Special Recognition Medallion
- Special Award of Bexley Civic Association
- Women’s Aero Association of Wichita Award
- Award of Appreciation, Licking County (Ohio) Historical Society
- Columbus Transportation Club Special Award
- Sports Woman of the Year, Columbus Citizen-Journal, 1969
- Citation of Wichita, Kansas, Chamber of Commerce
See also
Sources
- WCOT presentation with Jerrie Mock.
External links
Persondata |
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Mock, Jerrie |
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Date of birth |
November 22, 1925 |
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Date of death |
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