More Facts About Vicky

unknown man …maybe on a ship that Vicky took to Europe.

My research said that Vicky was a bush pilot in Juneau. If she was she would have had a hard time. There were very few women pilots in the 30′ in the US let alone Alaska. I will write the Juneau Historical Society and see if they have any records about her. Other research said she was a waitress. Who knows. Another mystery about Vicky.

Vicky was a risk taker and courageous.  I think that she was not afraid of danger or the unknown. These were the character traits of other women pilots. Vicky took flying lessons at Roosevelt field and stayed the Roosevelt Field Hotel. It was a place for dancing in the huge ballroom. It’s funny but I can picture so much about Vicky but I wish that I had asked my parents about her. But that wouldn’t have worked. My mom really didn’t like her. At the hotel they could eat outside on warm sunny days. The eating area overlooked the field and they could watch the planes land and takeoff. Roosevelt Field was the most famous airfield and everything was made for the pilots safety. The field had asphalt runways so was the perfect place to learn to fly.

When women started flying in great numbers people wondered if flying was safe for women. Are they physically fit? Instructors wondered if women could learn because their lack of mechanical knowledge. Women learned to fly for sport. They believed, it was a wholesome sport and adventure. But others took the idea of flying as serious business. They wanted to learn. But after getting their license they were restricted in finding jobs. Most women ended up selling planes, or writing writing about planes. Maybe Vicky was one of the women who didn’t care what men thought. She just wanted to fly.

When her husband walked out on her Vicky reported Ward missing two years later in 1927. She looked for Ward on her own for 2 years because she didn’t want the publicity. When the police were alerted they tried to talk to Wards mother Mrs. Anna D. Lederer, his sister Catherine Durant…neither would give any information to the police. Vicky stayed temporarily at the Hotel Manager. Vicky didn’t want to live on the family’s charity but she sure changed her mind.
It was such a mystery where Ward was living but she was tired of looking for him. Vicky said “Now I am neither unmarried or married. (New York Times, April 4, 1927)
Ward wasn’t honest with his own wife. Now could he marry another woman and not give Vicky the courtesy of divorcing Vicky. She loved the parties the drinking, and the high life but she loved Ward more. Vicky made herself so sick that she couldn’t work and she didn’t know how she would survive. She decided that she had to accept the money from Wards family. It was then that she went traveling and then learned to fly. When the world was in crisis Vicky lived well.

 

Powder Puff Race of 1929

Heavy Class; 

1. Louise Thaden
2. Gladys O’Donnell
3. Amelia Earhart
4. Blache Noyes
5. Ruth Elder
6. Mary Haizlip
7. Opa; Kunz 
8. Mary Von Mach
9. Vera Dawn Walker

Light Class: 

• Phoebe Omalie
• Edith Foltz
• Jessie Keith-Miller
• Thea Rasche

These​ ​brave​ ​women​ ​brought​ ​women​ ​into​ ​the​ ​field​ ​of​ ​aviation.​ ​Each​ ​decade women​ ​were​ ​making​ ​inroads​ ​into​ ​the​ ​world​ ​of​ ​aviation.​ ​Soon​ ​competing​ ​with​ ​men and​ ​by​ ​themselves.​ ​Women​ ​were​ ​not​ ​only​ ​barnstormers​ ​and​ ​in​ ​races​ ​but​ ​later they​ ​helped​ ​protect​ ​our​ ​country​ ​in​ ​World​ ​War​ ​11.​ ​They​ ​hadn’t​ ​found​ ​the​ ​height​ ​of acceptance​ ​that​ ​they​ ​wanted​ ​but​ ​their​ ​day​ ​would​ ​come.​ ​There​ ​many​ ​hurdles​ ​that they​ ​had​ ​to​ ​climb​ ​before​ ​women​ ​pilots​ ​would​ ​be​ ​fully​ ​accepted​ ​as​ ​male​ ​pilots.  Today​ ​women​ ​are​ ​pilots​ ​and​ ​copilots​ ​of​ ​airliners,​ ​flying​ ​for​ ​the​ ​military​ ​and​ ​many other​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​aviationThere​ ​were​ ​restriction​ ​on​ ​the​ ​women​ ​in​ ​the​ ​race.​ ​At​ ​first​ ​the​ ​women​ ​were​ ​told they​ ​had​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​male​ ​mechanic​ ​in​ ​the​ ​plane.​ ​But​ ​the​ ​women​ ​wouldn’t​ ​hear​ ​of​ ​it. They​ ​were​ ​in​ ​the​ ​derby​ ​to​ ​prove​ ​that​ ​they​ ​were​ ​as​ ​good​ ​as​ ​the​ ​male​ ​pilots.  

Most of the women were not independently wealthy. They knew that they to buy  a plane to fly in the race. So they needed sponsors to furnish the plane. In return the planes carried the logo of the manufacture on the outside of the plane. This provided advertising for the company that furnished the plane.

When the women met with race officials at the start of the race the field was crowded with spectators making it difficult for the pilots to take off.

The planes were lined up and took off at one minute intervals. The lighter planes were first followed by the heavier ones. It must have been a sight to see all these planes leaving Clover Field in Cleveland. The women started on the venture of their lives. They couldn’t imagine the difficulties they would encounter.

Male and females were excited about this unusual activity for women. Some men hoped that they would fail and that the race would be a disaster. Of course, they believed that women should be in the home. They didn’t belong flying. The women of the race proved the men wrong. They persevered and traveled to heights that no one ever expected. I hope you find this story as exciting as I do. It’s a credit to these women that we owe our congratulation to show that women can be strong in any field.

The race would last eight days and would make the following stops for food and rest. There was very little rest for the women because they needed to protect their planes from sabotage. The damage might have been from male pilots or even fans who would want a part of the cloth from the wings. There was such chaos from the fans that the women got very little rest. Also they felt it was important to reach the next stop so they could keep their position in the race.

The race was sponsored by the Executive Clubs of each city the women landed. This was good publicity for the city. This race was watched by people all over the country.  Even though the races two races were only male pilots. It was the women plights that the county was interested. It was so unusual for women to break into a man’s world. Women were supposed to take care of family and home not be pilots.

The twenty women of the race became good friends. Some went on to fame in other races after the 1929 race. Some went back to their daily lives but they always stayed friends. Thy developed a strong bond that lasted through their lives.

Each women wanted to win the race but there was no major anger to the women who flew faster than others. It’s odd but that bond was so strong that there was no jealousy then it was believed.

The morning August 17th was a very busy crazy day. The women were excited and ready to go. The shot calling the beginning of the race was loud and clear but the runway was so filled with cars and spectators that pilots had to be very careful not to hit anyone or anything. Everyone wanted to see these beautiful and gorgeous women. Even though men didn’t believe that they participate in such a dangerous endeavor.

The race was made more difficult because they could not use navigational instruments. Relying only on road maps to know their location by knowing where rivers and lakes were located. The men thought that their lives were at risk if they flew at night. So there no night flying allowed. The women also had to use planes with engines that fit their abilities as women. They had to be ladylike and at each stop they had to attend banquets and talk about their experiences during the race.  All they wanted to was rest and then get back to the field to protect their planes from being damaged. Male pilots wouldn’t want the women pilots to steal their thunder. Men were hoping to prove that women weren’t meant to fly. 

Louise Thaden won first place in the heavy category. Her time was incredible…20 hours, 19 minutes, and 4 seconds. Phoebe Omlie won first place in the light category…  2  5 hours, 12 minutes and  4 7.5 seconds.

Come along with me and enjoy this exciting ride!

The Powder Puff Derby

The All Women’s Air Race in 1929.

 

Doodles Make Me Smile

 

In other posts I showed you some of my doodle pictures.  Today I need to make myself feel positive. I cannot let circumstances make me sad. Positive thinking really does work. I know that for sure. Negative thoughts make me sad.

Looking at a Daily Doodle makes me think of  Vicky when Ward walked out of her life. I think of how she put herself together and learned to fly. She must have driven the sadness away while she concentrated on the positive not the negative.

Look at the Daily Doodles and SMILE,

 

Pictures of the Book-Cadillac Hotel

Book-Cadillac Hotel

 

Vicky stayed at several addresses during the early part of her life.   One of them was the Book Hotel. In 1917 the name was changed to the Cadillac Hotel located at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Washington Blvd.

It was named after the wealthy Book Brothers of Detroit. It had 1134 guest rooms. With the start of the Great Depression the hotel went into receivership.

During the late 30’s the hotel opened The Cadillac Apartments. The rooms were newly decorated and for living in apartments. The apartments were rented for $60.00 a month. I would think that Vick  lived in one of these apartments. She wasn’t wealthy and seemed to “flop” at different places.

In 1948 the hotel was featured in the movie State of the Union. It a starred Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, and Angela Lansbury.

Skipping to information about World War 11 the Book-Cadillac Hotel was sold  to the Sheraton Corporation for six million dollars. It thrived until 1974 it reopened as the Shelby Hotel. Then it became the Detroit Heritage Hotel. This hotel closed in 1975. I don’t know when Vicky stayed here but I know from my family that she definitely stayed here.

Sources:  www.BookCadillacHotel.com

http://www.Bookcadillacweston/historichotel.com

 

d

Shelton Hotel