U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for August 9

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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MONDAY, AUGUST 9: FAMOUS WOMAN PILOT

Profile America -- Monday, August 9th.  One of America's premier pilots died on this date 30 years ago -- Jacqueline Cochran.  At the time of her death, she had set more distance, speed and altitude records than any other pilot -- male or female -- including winning the 1938 Bendix trophy. In World War II, she founded the Women Airforce Service Pilots -- better known as the WASPs. These pilots ferried new fighter, bomber and transport aircraft across the Atlantic.  Cochran was also the first woman pilot to fly a jet, break the sound barrier and the first to land and take off from an aircraft carrier.  Today, 590,000 people in the country hold pilot's licenses -- 6 percent of them women.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2010, p. 408

U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1047

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau