[1] Her father, Carl Carlstrom, was a Swedish immigrant who worked as a civilian flight instructor.
[3] Marion Carlstrom "grew up looking at the pictures and reading the clippings" about her uncle, and was determined to become a pilot.
[3] In 1940, Carlstrom traveled to Lima, Peru as a foreign exchange student at the National University of San Marcos.
[2] She was the second woman in Peru to become a licensed pilot and received a trophy from President Manuel Prado Ugarteche.
[2] Carlstrom took part in air races over the mountains of Peru, flying over the Andes at altitudes of 18,000 feet.
[2] During World War II, Carlstrom joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots, where she ferried "mainly pursuit aircraft".