Violet Cowden
Congressional Gold Medal recipient
About Violet Cowden
Lived 1916 – 2011 (aged 94). Violet Cowden was an American.
Violet Cowden (October 1, 1916 – April 10, 2011) was an American aviator who served as a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II. Cowden was one of the surviving members of the 1,074 WASPs, who were the first women to fly American military planes.
Cowden was born Violet Thurn and raised on a farm in Bowdle, South Dakota.
Violet Cowden died at 8:34 p.m. on April 10, 2011, at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, California, at the age of 94.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Violet Cowden's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Violet Cowden?
Congressional Gold Medal recipient (1916–2011)
When was Violet Cowden born?
Violet Cowden was born on 1 October 1916 in Bowdle.
When did Violet Cowden die?
Violet Cowden died on 10 April 2011.
What nationality was Violet Cowden?
Violet Cowden was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Violet Cowden. https://biography.guide/violet-cowden/
MLA: "Violet Cowden." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/violet-cowden/.
Chicago: "Violet Cowden." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/violet-cowden/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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