Iris Cummings Critchell, an aviation pioneer and the last known surviving U.S. Olympic swimmer from the 1936 Berlin Games, passed away at age 104 last week.
According to the New York Times, after competing in the games where she finished fourth in her 100m breaststroke heat in Berlin, Critchell turned her attention to another passion—aviation.
In 1941, during World War II, she became one of the first women to pilot U.S. military aircraft, flying more than 25 types as part of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs). She was one of only 21 women to fly the P-38 Lightning and among just four to pilot the P-61 Black Widow.
After the war, Critchell and her husband cofounded the aeronautics program at Harvey Mudd College, where she mentored future pilots and astronauts. She also helped develop curricula for the FAA and advocated for women in aviation through her involvement with the Ninety-Nines organization.
With a flying career spanning more than 75 years, Critchell was inducted into the National Flight Instructors Hall of Fame in 2000 and received numerous accolades.
