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Fred Rebell (born Kārlis Sproģis; 22 April 1886 – 10 November 1968) was a Latvian born in Ventspils, Courland, Russian Empire (now Latvia), fled to Germany in 1907, and stowed away on a ship to Australia in 1909. In 1930, he decided to emigrate to the United States. Fred Rebell was not his original name but one he assumed when he forged seaman's papers to escape from Germany to Australia about 1907. Lacking a passport, he was unable to obtain a visa and decided to make his own way. He purchased an 18' sailing regatta yacht and sailed single-handed from Australia to Los Angeles starting around 1931. Lacking funds for navigation instruments, he made his own sextant from scrap parts including using a hacksaw blade as a degree scale. He did so with a self-created passport. He landed on various Pacific islands en route — spending as long as five months repairing his boat. He arrived in San Pedro, California, in 1933 and is recorded as the first ever solo crossing of the Pacific Ocean from west to east.
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| Born |
22 April 1886 Ventspils, Latvia
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| Died |
10 November 1968 (aged 82)
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| Zodiac | Taurus |
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