Jacqueline Cochran in her cockpit

Jacqueline Cochran: Record holder for many altitude, speed, and distance challenges of her time, Jacqueline Cochran, was the first female to take off and land on an aircraft carrier, the first woman to fly a bomber across the Atlantic, and the first pilot ever to fly above 20,000 ft without an oxygen mask. Recruiter and instructor for female combat pilots in WWII, Jacqueline was also the first aviatrix to run a Marilyn Monroe endorsed cosmetics company.