Marie Marvingt
Marvingt was born in 1875. She raised her siblings (when her mom died). She mastered 4 languages and became a superior sportswomen and pilot. During WW-1 Marie fought along side the French infantry at the front; disguised as a man. She was a Red Cross surgical nurse and invented the first air plane ambulance services in 1912. A service that continues to grow and evolve today.
"She was awarded a gold medal from the French Academy of Sports for being excellent "in all sports." All! Swimming, skiing, bicycling, flying, ballooning, mountain climbing, ice skating, canoeing, and more. She outshot an entire army division in riflery. She piloted a balloon across the North Sea--many people had died trying that trick".
-Rosalie Maggio & Marcel Cordier
"Marvingt spent the rest of her life advocating aerial ambulance service. She co-founded an organization called The Friends of Aviation Medicine. She lectured tirelessly on behalf of such service. She formed an air ambulance service in Morocco. She created training courses for aerial nurses. She wrote and directed documentaries on the use of aerial ambulances." John H. Lienhard