Marie Marvingt (20 February 1875 – 14 December 1963) was a French athlete, mountaineer, and aviator, and the most decorated woman in the history of France. She won numerous prizes for her sporting achievements and was the first woman to climb many of the peaks in the French and Swiss Alps. She was a record-breaking balloonist, a pioneering aviator and during World War I became the first woman to fly combat missions as a bomber pilot. She was also...
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Marie Marvingt (20 February 1875 – 14 December 1963) was a French athlete, mountaineer, and aviator, and the most decorated woman in the history of France. She won numerous prizes for her sporting achievements and was the first woman to climb many of the peaks in the French and Swiss Alps. She was a record-breaking balloonist, a pioneering aviator and during World War I became the first woman to fly combat missions as a bomber pilot. She was also a qualified nurse, specializing in aviation medicine, and worked for the establishment of air ambulance services throughout the world.
Marie Marvingt was born on 20 February 1875 in Aurillac in the Cantal département of France but spent most of her childhood near Nancy in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département although her family moved to Metz, at that time part of Germany, from 1880-1889.
She was encouraged to participate in sports by her father, Felix, and at the age of 5 she could already swim 4000m. She enjoyed many other sports including...
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