Round-the-World Flights

Clara Adams Sets Passenger Record Round-the-World

Page 2z (rev: 1000)

Clara Adams	Boarding Clipper in NY	Adams Autograph	KLM Flight Bangkok	Clara Adams

	Having inaugurated the transatlantic mail "Southern Route" air service on 
May 20, 1939 and the transatlantic mail "Northern Route" air service on June 
24, 1939 flying the "Yankee Clipper," Pan American inaugurated the first fare-paying 
transatlantic passenger flight on June 28, 1939.  Sixteen men and six women 
comprised the revenue load flying across the Atlantic Ocean on Pan Am's "Dixie 
Clipper" (Boeing B-314 flying boat) piloted by Robert Oliver Daniel "ROD" Sullivan. 
	The Pan Am flight departed Port Washington LI, NY on June 28, 1939 landing in 
Marseilles, France on June 30th with interim stops in Horta, Azores and Lisbon, 
Portugal.  One of the six women on the flight was Clara Adams. She was using this 
Pan Am flight opportunity as the first leg of her attempt to set a  world record 
as the "fastest passenger" to go round-the-world.  She made the circumnavigation 
of the earth in 16 days. 
	Clara had  made her first aeroplane flight in March, 1914 when Walter E. Johnson, 
piloting a Thomas Flying boat took her for her first plane ride.  This marked the 
beginning of many years of flying as a passenger.  In 1928 she flew round-the-world 
on the Graf Zeppelin and became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic.  She 
gained world recognition as an "historic first flighter."  Clara Adams said, 
"I have glorious feelings of freedom when one rises from the ground and soars aloft."

Departed New York, NY               06/28/39 
   Horta, Azores                    06/29/39  
   Lisbon, Portugal                 06/29/39                   
   Marseille, France                06/30/39 
   Leipzig, Germany                 06/30/39  
   Athens, Greece                   07/01/39 
   Basra, Iraq                      07/02/39 
   Jodhpur, India                   07/03/39 
   Rangoon, Burma                   07/04/39 
   Bangkok, Thailand                07/05/39 
   Hong Kong                        07/06/39 
   Manila, Philippines              07/07/39  
   Guam                             07/09/39 
   Wake Island                      07/10/39 
   Midway Island                    07/11/39 
   Honolulu, HI                     07/12/39 
   San Francisco, CA                07/14/39 
Arrived New York, NY                07/15/39 

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