THE AMERICAN HERO

Charles Lindbergh catapulted to the American spotlight when he became the first man to complete a nonstop flight from New York to Paris in May of 1927. The public was infatuated by him and he quickly became an American hero. Lindbergh was born in Detroit Michigan, in 1902. His father was a politician and his mother was a housewife. After a brief stint at the University of Wisconsin, Lindbergh dropped out to pursue a career in aviation. He made his first flight in April of 1923 and continued his aviation experience by enlisting in the Army Air Service. He became determined that he would win the $25,000 prize for the first nonstop flight from New York to Paris. Lindbergh made the flight in thirty three hours and thirty minutes. He was greeted by 100,000 people when landed in Paris, who were all eager to see this overnight celebrity. Lindbergh was awarded the Flying Cross and the Congressional Medal of Honor. At twenty five he became one of the best known and loved Americans in history. After his landmark flight Lindbergh turned down various lucrative offers and decided to spend his time promoting American aviation. He married Anne Morrow in 1929 and they went on to have six children. Lindbergh embraced his status but was sometimes leery of his instant fame. The press and the public could not seem to get enough of him and he and his family were constantly being hounded by reporters. Privacy was extremely important to Charles and his wife. They tried to cooperate with reporters but constantly felt like they were being disrespected Lindbergh and his wife began to refuse all interviews. This feud with the press would come back to haunt Lindbergh when his time in Germany would be misrepresented. Lindbergh tried to create a secure life for his family which by 1930 included a son Charles junior. Tragedy struck when the child was kidnapped and later found murdered in 1932. The trial captivated the nation and further threw Lindbergh into the spotlight. The Lindbergh’s decided to flee to Europe where they felt that they could find refuge and try to live a normal life. His time in Europe allowed Lindbergh to be exposed to the tensions that were arising. He spent much of his time learning about the aviation strengths and weaknesses of France, Britain and Germany. These first hand observations would help Lindbergh to strengthen his argument about staying out of the war.

Lindbergh after his famous flight

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