Immediate Source of Acquisition
Conditions Governing Access
Biographical / Historical
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
Title: Gladys O’Donnell Digital Image Collection
Identifier/Call Number: SDASM.SC.30025
Physical Description:
5.5 Gigabytes
5 GB
123 Tiffs from an album lent to SDASM by Bill Allen that focuses on the life of Gladys O'Donnell. Stored on the DAMS and Library
server, and published to Flickr.
Date (bulk): bulk
Abstract: 123 Tiffs from an album lent to SDASM by Bill Allen that focuses on the life of Gladys O'Donnell
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials in this collection were loaned to the San Diego Air & Space Museum for digitization.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection has been processed and is open for research with no restrictions.
Biographical / Historical
Gladys Livingston Berry was born March 2, 1904 in Whittier, California. At eighteen she married Lloyd O'Donnell, a car salesman
who enjoyed flying airplanes. She soloed after 10 hours and in 1929 at the age of 25, became the first licensed woman pilot
in Long Beach, California. That same year, Gladys participated in the first Women's Air Derby with only 40 hours of solo flying
time. The nine-day race started in Santa Monica, California and concluded in Cleveland, Ohio. Gladys finished second behind
Louise Thaden. Each of the women who participated in that historic race - Amelia Earhart, Louise Thaden, Phoebe Omlie, Ruth
Elder, Blanche Noyes, Bobbi Trout and Gladys O'Donnell - opened doors for all women pilots.
Gladys was also a charter member of the 99s and the first Governor of their Southwest Section.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Women in aeronautics
Women Airforce Service Pilots
Powder Puff Derby
Ninety-Nines (Organization)
O’Donnell, Gladys