On June 18, 1944, the monoplane Friendship landed in a small port nearly 200 miles from its destination.
It was carrying Amelia Earhart, the first woman ever to cross the Atlantic by air.
The Herald went to presses that evening:
“BURRYPORT, Wales June 18—(AP)—Carrying the first woman ever to cross the Atlantic by air, the American monoplane Friendship gracefully swept down on Burry estuary on the south coast of Wales shortly after noon today, completing a brilliant 2000-mile hop across the Northern Atlantic in less than 21 hours.
It was more than a hop across the Atlantic for Miss Amelia Earhart, Boston social worker, who was one of the crew on the plane—she took her turn at the stick just as did Wilmer Stultz, the chief pilot, in the long journey through mist and rain that marked most of the trip.
…
Not in years has this tiny port experienced such a thrill as when the big plane swooped into the estuary carrying the first woman ever to cross the Atlantic by air.
It was doubtful if many people in the little port knew that the plane was enroute from Newfoundland. However, it did not take long for news of the great achievement to spread and the population quivered with excitement at being in on such a feat,
Until about noon it seemed highly probably that the Friendship would land at Southampton, her goal, and that seaport was all set to give the American girl and the plane a great welcome.”
See the June 18, 1928 edition of The Herald and others in our collection of historic front pages.
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