Jane Skiles O'Dea

Infobox Military Person
name=Jane Skiles O'Dea
lived=


caption=
nickname=
placeofbirth=
placeofdeath=
allegiance=
branch=United States Navy
serviceyears=1973-1997
rank=Captain
unit=
commands=Navy Recruiting District, Indianapolis
battles=
awards=
relations=
laterwork=

Captain Jane Skiles O'Dea was one of the first six women to earn their wings as Navy pilots in 1974, and was the first woman qualified in the C-130 Hercules. cite book |last=Ebbert |first=Jean and Marie-Beth Hall|title=Crossed Currents: Navy Women from WWI to Tailhook [Revised] |date=1999-10 |publisher=Brassey's |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=978-1574881936 ] She was also the first Navy woman qualified as a flight instructor cite news|author=Sandy Russell|publisher=Naval Aviation News|title=High Flying Ladies|date=February, 1981|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1980s/1981/feb81.pdf ] . She was the first female Navy aviator to achieve command (Navy Recruiting District, Indianapolis) and to be selected for the rank of captain cite news|author=|publisher=Naval Aviation News|title=Woman Aviator Pioneer Retires|date=May-June, 1997|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1990s/1997/mj97/ppp.pdf ] .

Early life and education

O'Dea was born Jane Skiles . Her parents both served in the military in World War II cite news|author=Helen F. Collins|publisher=Naval Aviation News|title=Women in Naval Aviation: From Plane Captains to Pilots|date=July, 1977|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1977/jul77.pdf ] . She graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Political Science.

Retirement

O'Dea retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain on 11 April, 1997. She had logged over 3,000 hours in the C-130, C-1A, T-34, and EC-130Q while assigned to VR-24, VT-2, USS Lexington (AVT-16), and VQ-4 .

See also

* Naval Aviation

References

Further reading

*Pexton, Patrick. Closing Out First-Filled Careers: Navy's Female "Gray Eagles" Are Calling it a Day. Navy Times 46:16 May 19 '97.
*Pexton, Patrick. Five Women Aviators Fly Right. Navy Times 43:4 Jun 27 '94.
*Pexton, Patrick. New Captains Have Flown Against Tradition. Navy Times 42:4 Apr 5 '93.
*
*
*
*
*
*

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1990s/1998/ja98/review.pdf The Year in Review (1997)] Naval Aviation News by William T. Baker
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org4-5.htm United States Naval Aviation 1910-1995] from the Naval Historical Center