Derickson, Uli (1944–2005)

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Derickson, Uli (1944–2005)

American fight attendant and hero. Born Ulrike Patzelt, Aug 8, 1944, in Aussig an der Elbe, Czechoslovakia; raised in Bavaria; died of cancer, Feb 18, 2005, in Tucson, Arizona; dau. of Marianne Patzelt; m. Russell G. Derickson (pilot, died 2003); children: Matthew Derickson.

Worked as an au pair in Britain and Switzerland; immigrated to Connecticut (1967); began working for TWA as a flight attendant, then joined Delta; when a pair of Lebanese gunmen skyjacked Flight 847 from Athens to Rome(June 14, 1985), confronted and mollified the terrorists and saved passengers' lives (though 1 man was killed). Was the 1st woman to receive the Silver Cross for Valor from the Legion of Valor, a veterans organization.

See also tv movie "The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story," starring Lindsay Wagner (1988).