The Lindbergh Law

I think most people have heard of Charles Lindbergh, who was born on February 4, 1902, in Detroit, Michigan, was an American aviator celebrated for conducting the first solo, non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. We all like to think about the amazing accomplishments that have marked our history books. When airplanes were invented, there was little chance that records wouldn’t be set and advances made. Man has always tried to improve on things.

Lindbergh’s famous flight took place in 1927, when he flew the Spirit of Saint Louis from New York to Paris. The flight took 33.5 hours and made Lindbergh an international hero, but I can only imagine how he felt as he was flying along. He was doing something no one had ever done before!! I suppose there is always that first time for everything new, but Lindbergh had 33.5 hours to think about that.

Fame has a way of giving a person a lot of pull in whatever area they might try to use that influence, and Lindbergh was interested in promoting commercial aviation and air mail services. He was especially instrumental in the development of transatlantic flights, pushing for the establishment of routes and infrastructure that would enable commercial aviation to thrive.

Unfortunately, fame also makes people into targets. For Lindbergh, being a target came in the form of his son, Charles Lindbergh Jr being kidnapped and, while Lindbergh paid the $50,000 ransom, his son was found murdered in 1932, which resulted in what was known as the “Crime of the Century.” Lindbergh’s influence now took a different turn, in the form pushing for the Lindbergh Law or Federal Kidnapping Act, making kidnapping a federal crime in the United States.

While debated by the loss of his son, Lindbergh knew that he must go on…life must go on. He went on to make contributions to various fields, including conservation and literature. He also developed a keen interest in environmental issues and worked with various institutions to advocate for the protection of wildlife and habitats. In addition to those things, he authored several books, including “The Spirit of Saint Louis,” which recounts his historic flight. That book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1954. Charles Lindbergh passed away on August 26, 1974, of Lymphoma at the age of 72.