Hiller Aviation Museum founding curator and historian Charles Morgan Evans talks about his new book Helicopter Heroine--Valerie Andre: Surgeon, Pioneer Rescue Pilot, and Her Courage Under Fire
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In this interview with Charles Morgan Evans, historian, founding curator of the Hiller Aviation Museum, and author of two books, War of the Aeronauts: A History of Ballooning in the Civil War and Helicopter Heroine—Valerie Andre: Surgeon, Pioneer Rescue Pilot, and Her Courage Under Fire, we talk about the incredible feats of a woman who flew almost 500 combat missions in Indochina and Algeria in the 1950s-1960, at the same time she was treating traumatic head injuries in battlefield hospitals as a neurosurgeon. Evans shares with us how a photo at Hiller museum piqued his interest in Andre and led him to preserve her story for an English-speaking audience, as well as providing the context and characters who contributed along her journey. Andre went on to be highly decorated for her accomplishments and contributions to aerial combat rescue and combat medicine, and became the first female General in the French Army. She celebrated her 101st birthday in April 2023.  *Check out the new Literary Aviatrix Website for books, interviews, news, blogs, and the Writers' Room! Big thanks to Shaesta Waiz and Michael Wildes of the Women Soar Group for their help in bringing my vision for this site to life! * Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
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