Rise to Fame
In April 1928, Earhart received an offer to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. She had an interview with the project coordinators, one of which was George P. Putnam, and agreed to make the transcontinental flight. Putnam, a book publisher and publicist who capitalized on Charles Lindbergh's record setting transcontinental flight a year earlier, hoped to have the same success with Earhart. The crew, including pilot Wilmer Stultz and mechanic Louis Gordon, left Newfoundland on June 17, 1928 aboard the "Friendship" and landed in Wales 21 hours later. The record setting flight made international headlines and Amelia quickly became a media sensation, known as "Lady Lindy" due to her comparison to Lindbergh. Upon returning to the United States, the crew was greeted with a New York parade and reception from President Coolidge. Putnam's idea of a bestselling story became a reality amidst Earhart's immediate touring, lecturing, and publishing of her book "20 Hrs., 40 Min.: Our Flight in the Friendship" a few months later.
Amelia's success in aviation only grew from here as she bought a Lockheed Vega plane, which she used to place third at the First Women's Air Derby of 1929. She then went on to set records in altitude, speed, and distance, oftentimes breaking her own records in the process. During Amelia's record-setting flight across the Atlantic, she developed a friendship with Putnam, which continued to grow as they became married on February 7, 1931. However, Amelia retained her maiden name and considered the marriage as a "partnership," making sure Putnam knew she was committed to her aviation career as opposed to becoming a housewife.
Their "partnership" continued successfully as they made plans for Earhart to become the first woman and second person to fly solo across the Atlantic. On May 20, 1932, Earhart departed from Newfoundland in route to Paris. After battling harsh weather conditions and mechanical issues, she landed in a farmer's field in Ireland 15 hours later. The farmer, unexpected to see Earhart asked her "Have you flown far?," to which she replied "From America."
As the world became aware of her courageous flight, she received praise and accolades internationally. Earhart was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross from Congress, the National Geographic Society Gold Medal from President Hoover, and the Cross of Knight of the Legion of Honor from the French Government. This flight proved not only her skill as a pilot, but also that women were equal to men. Amelia wrote another hit book of this most recent adventure titled "The Fun of It", which Putnam helped to publish as well.
Earhart didn't stop there as she continued making unprecedented flights. On January 11, 1935, she became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific from Hawaii to California. Later that year, she became the first person to fly solo from Los Angeles to Mexico City and then the first person to fly solo nonstop from Mexico City to Newark just a month later. When Earhart arrived in Newark, she was greeted by a large crowd who "overflowed the field" and even rushed her plane. In 1937, Earhart had avid plans for one last monumental achievement, to be the first woman to fly around the world.
