Joan Merriam Smith

Birth Name:

Joan Ann Merriam

Birth Date:

August 3, 1936

Birth Place:

Oceanside, Long Island, New York

Death Date:

February 17, 1965

Place of Death:

Blue Ridge in the Ord Mountains, a few miles west of Wrightwood, California

Age:

Cause of Death:

Plane crash

Cemetery Name:

Forest Lawn Memorial Park

Claim to Fame:

The Odd and the Interesting

Joan Merriam Smith was an American aviator, famous for her 1964 solo flight around the world in which she became the second woman to complete the trip, by following the equatorial route attempted in 1937 by Amelia Earhart. (Jerrie Mock set off the same week on a different route, and finished before Smith did.) In doing so she also became the first woman to fly a twin-engine aircraft around the world, and the first woman to fly the Pacific Ocean from west to east in a twin-engine plane. Following the equatorial Amelia Earhart route, Joan became the first person in history to successfully complete a solo flight around the world at the equator, as well as the first person to complete the Amelia Earhart route. Smith also was the the first person in history to fly solo around the world at the equator, to complete the longest single solo flight around the world, first woman to fly a twin-engine aircraft around the world, the first woman to fly the Pacific Ocean from west to east in a twin-engine plane, the first woman to receive an airline transport rating at the age of 23, the youngest woman to complete a solo flight around the world, and the first woman to fly solo from Africa to Australia, from Australia to Guam via New Guinea, and from Wake to Midway Island. Sadly she died the following year when the plane she was piloting suffered structural failure and crashed in California.

The Crash

Witnesses said that the airplane had been flying normally, estimated at between 1,000 and 2,000 feet (305–610 meters) above the mountainous terrain, when the right wing folded back along the fuselage. The airplane, with the engine revving, went into a dive and crashed into the north slope of Blue Ridge, a few miles west of Wrightwood, California, 10–12 seconds later. There was an explosion and fire and both Joan Merriam Smith and Trixie Ann Schubert were killed instantly.

Investigators found that both wings had failed outboard of the struts. The outer wing panels, both ailerons and the left elevator were located approximately 1½ miles from the point of impact. Examination showed that the aircraft had suffered severe loads. “There was no evidence of fatigue or failure of the aircraft before the inflight structural failure.”

The Civil Aeronautics Board reported the Probable Cause: “The pilot entered an area of light to moderate turbulence at high speed, during which aerodynamic forces exceeding the structural strength of the aircraft caused in-flight structural failure.” According to the CAB, the Cessna 182 had an airspeed in excess of 190 miles per hour when it entered the area of turbulence.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Forest Lawn Memorial Park

4471 Lincoln Avenue

Cypress, California, 90630

USA

North America

Map:

Map of Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cypress, California

Grave Location:

Fond Remembrance, Lot 5027, Space 1

Grave Location Description

Park near Columbarium of of Sweet Memories. Walk on the sidewalk to the front of the columbarium, then follow the sidewalk to the left, walking toward Fond Remembrance Wall Crypts. Pass the large tree on the left, and turn left at the fifth row. You’ll see a large niche for Newton Wright on the right. Aviation pioneer Joan Smith is the 45th memorial.

Grave Location GPS

33.8323764, -118.0609960

Visiting The Grave:

Photos:

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Videos Featuring Joan Merriam Smith:

Joan Merriam Returns from Following Amelia Earhart Route

Joan Merriam Flies Solo Around World (1964)

The Sprirt of Aviator Trixie-Ann Schubert

Aim for the Skies

See More:

Daisy and Violet Hilton

popular name: Daisy and Violet Hilton

date_of_death: January 4, 1969

age: 60

cause_of_death: Hong Kong flu

claim_to_fame: The Odd and the Interesting

best_know_for: Daisy and Violet Hilton, born in the early 1900s in Brighton, England, were conjoined twins joined at the hip and buttocks. Their lives were a blend of exploitation and fame, marked by challenges and achievements. Born to an unmarried barmaid, Kate Skinner, the twins were sold to her employer, Mary Hilton, who saw their potential as a spectacle. Under Mary Hilton's care, they were trained as performers and toured extensively, particularly in the U.S., where they were exhibited as "freaks" in sideshows and carnivals. After Mary's death, the twins became the wards of her daughter and son-in-law, Edith and Meyer Myers, who continued exploiting them financially and refusing to allow them out in public unless they were performing. They later gained legal independence in 1931 after suing the Myers family, receiving $100,000 in restitution (far below what they earned). The Hiltons became vaudeville stars, captivating their audiences with their talents including dancing, singing and playing instruments. Despite their fame, the Hilton sisters faced significant personal challenges. Exploitation in their early years left them unprepared to manage their finances and lives independently. They attempted romantic relationships, but societal prejudice and legal barriers prevented marriage. Their brief appearance in Tod Browning's 1932 cult classic film Freaks and the 1951 biopic Chained for Life showcased their lives but didn't lead to lasting success. As vaudeville declined, the sisters struggled financially. They ended up working in a grocery store in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1969, they died of the Hong Kong flu, passing within days of each other due to their physical connection.