Reference

The myth about Mary Babnik Brown’s hair revolves around its alleged use in the Norden bombsight during World War II. According to popular stories, her long, untreated blonde hair was utilized to make the crosshairs for these bombsights due to its unique properties of strength and precision.

However, this story has been debunked. Research indicates that while Mary Babnik Brown did donate her hair for military purposes during World War II, it was not used in the Norden bombsight. The military did solicit hair donations, particularly blonde hair, but the specific use described in the myth is not supported by verifiable evidence. The myth persisted as a piece of wartime lore, often embellished over time.

For more details, you can check sources like thevintagenews.com and warhistoryonline.com.

Here is an image of Mary Babnik Brown from 1943: