Charles A. Lindbergh was born on February 4, 1902, in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up largely in Little Falls, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C., where his father worked in Congress. Lindbergh enrolled at the University of Wisconsin, but left after two years to pursue aviation at a flying school in Lincoln, Nebraska, instead.

Lindbergh enlisted in the United States Army in 1924, and completed flight-training school at the top of his class in 1925. In 1926, he became an airmail pilot, flying from St. Louis, Missouri, to Chicago, Illinois. At the same time, Lindbergh convinced nine St. Louis businessmen to sponsor his attempt at competing for the Orteig Prize, a $25,000 reward offered for the first person to complete a nonstop flight between New York and Paris. On May 20, 1927, Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field, near New York City. He landed 33.5 hours later at Le Bourget Field, near Paris, France. For this accomplishment, Lindbergh was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and many other honors.

Lindbergh married Anne Morrow in 1929. The couple flew many times together, with Anne serving as copilot and navigator. They had six children together. Tragically, their first, Charles Augustus, Jr., was kidnapped and murdered. This event led to the passing of the "Lindbergh Law," making kidnapping a federal offense if the victim is transported over state lines or if mail service is used to demand ransom. The overbearing press coverage forced the Lindberghs to move to Europe for privacy in 1935. They returned to the U.S. in 1939.

In 1938, Lindbergh was given the German medal of honor by Hermann Goering. This, in addition to his outspoken views of neutrality during World War II, white supremacist statements, and criticisms of President Roosevelt's foreign policies caused many to suspect him of being a Nazi sympathizer. After being publically criticized by Roosevelt, Lindbergh resigned from the Army Air Corps. He reversed his stance on noninvolvement after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, but his request to reenlist was denied. Instead, he served as a consultant and test pilot to the Ford Motor Company and the United Aircraft Corporation. In 1944, Lindbergh began serving as an advisor to the U.S. Army and Navy in the Pacific War arena. He flew about 50 combat missions as a civilian, but is better known for developing techniques to reduce fuel consumption.

After the war, Lindbergh continued to consult for Pan American World Airways and the U.S. Department of Defense. The family continued to live quietly in Connecticut, eventually moving to Maui, Hawaii. Lindbergh developed an interest in environmental conservation, campaigning for the protection of endagered species and opposing the development of supersonic transport planes.

Lindbergh died of cancer on August 26, 1974, in Maui.

External Sources:

"Charles Lindbergh Biography," charleslindbergh.com, http://www.charleslindbergh.com/history/, accessed June 5, 2024.

"Charles Lindbergh," Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Lindbergh, accessed June 5, 2024.