IN THE KNOW
DID YOU KNOW?
Charles Lindbergh
was no stranger
to West Mifflin
By Mark Berton
T
here was a time in American history when crowds of
thousands would flock to earthen runways to get a
glimpse of someone arriving in an airplane. But then
again, just a couple of years earlier, Charles Lindbergh made
world headlines as the first solo pilot to fly from New York to
Paris in his Spirit of St. Louis single-engine plane. He was the
only person on Earth at that time to be in both cities in the
same 48-hour window, and his trip earned him a $25,000 prize.
This landing in Pittsburgh at Bettis Field, however, was a
lot less spectacular, as Lindbergh, who flew mail flights, was
testing a new route between Columbus and New York. Poor
weather conditions impeded his progress, and Lindbergh spent
the night in Pittsburgh at the William Penn Hotel. Despite
typical October weather – rain, fog and slush – Lindbergh was
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on his way again the next morning, but not before throngs
of adoring fans rushed him as he tried to conduct interviews
with the press and chat with friends.
It was still two years before the kidnapping of his child,
and Lindbergh, who was a moderately private individual,
was already weary of the ever-growing crowds and
newshounds that met him wherever he landed. In fact, his
story was a topic of interest for another great explorer, who
eclipsed Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight more than 40 years
later. Neil Armstrong, himself a very private individual,
reportedly explored the trajectory of Lindbergh’s post-flight
fame as a way to help him navigate the mass of publicity
that would be awaiting him once he returned from the
moon. The two even corresponded after Armstrong’s
return about how they felt upon reaching their destinations.
But Lindbergh, who fought for 25 years to lead a normal,
peaceful life, declined an invitation by President Richard
Nixon to meet Armstrong, fearing that the event would
undo his efforts of achieving normalcy.
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