Search

Elizabeth Willing Powel was an 18th-century Philadelphia socialite, a fixture in her hometown's most influential circles, and a proto-feminist who delighted in her intellect, broad range of interests, and social [...]

The article focuses on 18th-century Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, socialite Elizabeth "Eliza" Willing Powel and her relationship with U.S. president George Washington. Topics include Washington's relationship with socialite Sally Fairfax, his marriage to wife Martha Curtis Washington in 1759, and his friendship with Eliza.

The article details the evolution and contribution of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS) in the U.S. victory in World War II. Topics discussed include the creation of the organization Ninety-Nines by a group of women in 1929 to promote aviation and encourage the participation of women pilots, the formation of the Women Flyers of America, and some notable women air pilots in the 20th century such as Amelia Earhart, Nancy Harkness Love, and Jacqueline Cochran.

The article discusses the contributions to aviation of Charles Yeager, a former U.S. Air Force Vice Commander and record-setting test pilot and Richard Whitcomb, an aeronautical engineer. Topics covered include the Distinguished Service Medal awarded to Whitcomb for outstanding achievement in the field of aeronautics for his contributions to the science of aerodynamics, and the success of Yeager of flying the aircraft that broke through the sound barrier.