Betty Greene Explained

Betty Greene should not be confused with Bettye Washington Greene.

Elizabeth Everts Greene (24 June 1920 – 10 April 1997), known as Betty Greene, was an American missionary pilot.

Greene was born in Seattle on 24 June 1920, and started taking flying lessons in 1936.^[1] ^[2] She studied at the University of Washington and served in the Women Airforce Service Pilots in World War II.

Greene was a devout Presbyterian, and helped found Mission Aviation Fellowship.^[3] She made its first flight in 1946 when she transported two missionaries of Wycliffe Bible Translators in a Waco UPF-7 biplane to a remote jungle location in Mexico.^[4] ^[5] ^[6] Later that year she became the first woman to fly over the Andes mountains.^[7]

Greene died on 10 April 1997.^[8] She was inducted into the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame in 2017.^[9]

Notes and References

Web site: Betty Greene . . 25 February 2024.
Web site: Wickham . Laura . The True Story of Betty Greene, the First Missionary Aviation Pilot . . 25 February 2024.
News: Betty Greene, former Medina resident, honored for wartime service . 26 February 2024 . Bellevue Reporter.
Web site: MAF's Very First Flight . . 26 February 2024.
Book: Tucker, Ruth A.. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions. 2nd. 2011. Zondervan. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 978-0-310-83062-7. 387.
Web site: "A Gal, A Plane & A Dream" . March 2022 . . 25 February 2024.
Book: Howat . Irene . Ten Girls Who Made History . 2007 . . 128.
News: Solomon . Chris . Betty Greene, 76; Pioneer Aviatrix, Missionary And A Lady To Her Core . 26 February 2024 . . 16 April 1997.
Web site: WAI 2017 Pioneer Hall of Fame Inductees. Women in Aviation International. https://web.archive.org/web/20190103002259/https://www.wai.org/conferences/past-conferences/wai2017/pioneer-hall-fame-inductees. 3 January 2019. 2019-01-03.