Happy birthday #93 to the First Lady of Skydiving -Muriel Simbro USPA D-78, the first woman in the U.S. to earn a D license.
Ahead of her time. She entered parachuting in 1960, after first flying as the jump pilot for her husband Hank. Being one of only a couple of women, and sometimes the only woman, among quite a few men at competitions, it was at these competitions where “I always hit the target”.
Muriel was the first woman to earn a D license (D-78) and the first woman to win a gold medal in a world meet. She won gold in the 1962 World Parachuting Championships, first in the Team Accuracy event with Nona Pond and Carlyn Olsen, first in the Overall Women’s World Team Championship with Kim Emmons, Nona Pond and Carlyn Olsen, and earned top honors in the Overall Woman’s World Championship.
Muriel received the Helms Athlete of the Year Award and made an appearance on the game show “To Tell the Truth” on October 1, 1962.
Muriel and her husband Hank were inducted into The International Skydiving Museum‘s Hall of Fame in 2012 and she continues to support and attend Museum and Pioneer events and gatherings, accompanied by her large beautiful family.
“My only grievance is that more women don’t participate in Sport Parachuting.” –Muriel Simbro
http://ladiesofskydiving.com/history-middle-years#smu