Pioneering aviator Wally Funk will be recognized at the 2024 American Valor event in Washington, D.C., which honors individuals who exemplify courage and dedication, and contribute to the nation’s rich history in aviation and beyond.
Funk, a lifelong trailblazer in aviation and aerospace, has been a passionate advocate for women in flight and has made significant contributions throughout her remarkable career, according to officials with the The Ninety-Nines, International Organization of Women Pilots.
Funk was one of the Mercury 13 — a group of women who underwent the same rigorous astronaut testing as their male counterparts in the early 1960s, but didn’t achieve her dream of space travel until July 20, 2021 — 52 years to the date from Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s first steps on the moon. At the age of 82, Funk finally launched into space, setting a Guinness World Record as the oldest person to journey beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
“Her recognition at the American Valor event highlights her extraordinary achievements and enduring influence within the aviation community and her commitment to expanding opportunities for women in aerospace,” say officials with The Ninety-Nines.
“We are incredibly proud of Wally and honored that she is part of The Ninety-Nines,” said Robin Hadfield, president of The Ninety-Nines. “Her spirit and determination have paved the way for countless women to soar higher in both aviation and space. This recognition is a fitting tribute to her legacy and the barriers she has broken.”
The American Valor event will be held in Washington, D.C., bringing together heroes from diverse fields to commemorate their contributions to national and international progress. Wally Funk’s legacy stands as a testament to the impact of The Ninety-Nines and the role that women continue to play in shaping the future of aviation and aerospace.
For more information: Ninety-Nines.org, AmericanVeteransCenter.org
Kent, you obviously are not a fan of science and exploration and the benefits it brings to us all.
Would you want only Russia and China to have the capabilities to launch satellites? It has been a lot of money but that money didn’t “disappear”, it created a lot of jobs for a lot of people and tremendous benefits to society as a whole.
So happy Wally is to be recognized at the 2024 American Valor event. She has been wonderful in sharing her knowledge with so many people.
She has ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wanted to up in space. And FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY she was on the first crewed flight of Blue Origin’s suborbital ascension. July 20, 2021.
I have known her since the mid-1960s.
Since her being one of the Mercury 13, she has had her eyes on space, But has been busy in the intervening years interacting with SO MANY women in SO MANY ways.
A real friend in aviation. Know you will continued to inspire all of us.
Ann Holtgren Pellegreno
I had the privilege of meeting her back in 1998 or so. I was flying out of Southwest regional airport north of Ft Worth. I was in the FBO getting the rental paperwork for an airplane when she walked in. She as wearing a blue NASA flight suit and I asked her about it. She introduced herself and gave me the capsule version, no pun intended, of her story. I was awed by her. I’m glad she finally got to get into space albeit so briefly.
OK, but they all just sit in a small capsule and go for a very expensive taxpayer-funded ride. What’s the big deal? What has manned space flight accomplished since the moon landings? What has the ROI been for taxpayers? It is surely negative due to lost opportunity costs – what taxpayers would have done with their money had government not confiscated it for pet projects like space travel.
Ouch! There have been countless advances in science due to the efforts of scientists and engineers. I’d do it in an instant if even for a moment.