Virginia Schau

Virginia Margaret (Brown) Schau (February 23, 1915 – May 28, 1989)[1] was an American who was the first woman and second amateur to win the Pulitzer Prize for Photography, which she was awarded in 1954.

[7] On April 19, 1942, Virginia married First Lieutenant Gilbert Burton Doolittle, U. S. Army at the Presidio in San Francisco, California.

[12] The Schaus and the Browns were driving on a two lane road approaching the Pit River Bridge north of the town of Redding, California, behind a semitrailer from Portland, Oregon, carrying fruits and vegetables.

Walter Schau, and the driver behind him, J. D. McLaren of Concord, California, stopped traffic, found a length of rope and with the help of other motorists, attempted to rescue Overby and Baum from the dangling cab.

Almost a year to the day later, Virginia Schau was "flabbergasted" to hear that her picture of the rescue had won the 1954 Pulitzer Prize for Photography.