Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Beyond the Grave
W.C. Jameson
TAYLOR TRADE PUBLISHING
Lanham • Boulder • New York • London
Published by Taylor Trade Publishing
An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
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www.rowman.com
Unit A, Whitacre Mews, 26-34 Stannary Street, London SE11 4AB, United Kingdom
Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK
Copyright © 2016 by W.C. Jameson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Jameson, W.C., 1942– author.
Title: Amelia Earhart : beyond the grave / W.C. Jameson.
Description: Lanham : Taylor Trade Publishing, [2016] | Series: Beyond the grave | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015037089 | ISBN 9781589799905 (hardback) | ISBN 9781589799912 (electronic)
Subjects: LCSH: Earhart, Amelia, 1897–1937. | Women air pilots—United States—Biography. | Air pilots—United States—Biography. | BISAC: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Adventurers & Explorers. | BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Historical. | BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Women.
Classification: LCC TL540.E3 J36 2016 | DDC 629.13092—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015037089
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
Foreword by Gregory A. Feith
1 Woman of Mystery, Woman of Contradictions
2 Origins
3 Enter George Palmer Putnam
4 Celebrity
5 Marriage
6 Hawaii to California
7 Flight around the World: Preparation
8 Trouble with Japan
9 Enter Robert Myers
10 Oakland to Honolulu
11 The Crash
12 A Visit from Washington
13 Repairs
14 Fred Noonan
15 Reenter Putnam
16 Flight around the World: Second Attempt
17 Final Preparations
18 From New Guinea to the Rising Sun
19 Flight Questions
20 The Mystery of Howland Island
21 The Flight Path
22 What Happened to Amelia Earhart?
23 Downed at Mili Atoll
24 The Search
25 The Mystery of the Itasca Logs
26 On to Saipan
27 The Mystery Letter
28 Death or Transfer?
29 The Mystery of Wilbur Rothar
30 Tokyo Rose
31 The Mystery of the Morgenthau Memo
32 The Mystery at Aslito Airfield
33 The Mystery of James V. Forrestal
34 The Electra Mystery
35 Imprisonment
36 Repatriation
37 Enter Irene Craigmile Bolam
38 Enter William Van Dusen
39 Reenter Irene Craigmile Bolam
40 Postrepatriation
41 Reenter William Van Dusen
42 The Evidence
43 Analysis
Selected Bibliography
About the Author
Foreword
To this day, the mysterious disappearance of Amelia M. Earhart during her around-the-world flight in 1937 evokes debate whether her flight was a tragic accident or the result of a covert mission disguised as a goodwill publicity flight that ended unexpectedly without a contingency plan. W.C. Jameson has captured the essence of the latter perspective through the abundance of credible evidence that strongly suggests Amelia Earhart survived a presumed emergency or crash landing in the South Pacific and was taken prisoner. The controversy that arises from this evidence is the fact that, although presumed dead, Amelia was actually repatriated to the United States under a different identity and lived a solitary life while maintaining one of the greatest secrets in aviation history.
In aircraft accident investigation, the investigator must rely on the facts, conditions, and circumstances that are developed from various sources, including the aircraft wreckage, witness information, documents, testimonials, and other credible information to determine the causes and contributing factors of the accident. Amelia Earhart: Beyond the Grave is a compelling discussion of fact-based evidence that presents the reader with a logical explanation for why there has never been any wreckage found from Amelia’s “specially equipped” Lockheed L-10E Electra or why the U.S. government still classifies numerous documents related to the publicity flight as “top secret.”
As an aircraft accident investigator, I have found it easy to dismiss opinions, “pet theories,” and good story lines that are not supported by credible evidence. However, W.C. Jameson’s presentation of factual information, corroborating evidence from others investigating this flight, and the comparisons and parallels he draws from other historical people and events captured my attention throughout the book. This is a must-read book for those who want to learn about the more intriguing aspects of aviation’s greatest mystery flight!
Gregory A. Feith
Former “Go-Team” Captain and Senior Air Safety Investigator
U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
• 1 •Woman of Mystery, Woman of Contradictions
The Amelia Earhart of popular perception—“The First Lady of the Sky” and “America’s Darling”—was quite unlike the private Amelia Earhart. The public Earhart was, in fact, a product of marketing and media, all brilliantly designed, constructed, and masterfully steered by her husband, the publishing and publicity magnate George Palmer Putnam.
The truth is, at the time, Earhart was only one of a number of female aviatrices who gained notice during the early 1900s. Though she was often billed as one of the world’s greatest pilots, this was far from true. Earhart possessed a set of skills and accomplishments related to flying and was fearless, to be sure, but not necessarily any more so than a number of other female pilots of the time. She was no better or worse than the rest, but as a result of fearlessness and a desire to break down certain social barriers along with a clever publicity and marketing campaign, she managed better breaks than her contemporaries. She was, without doubt, the most famous.
The private Amelia Earhart was an altogether different person. She was a woman who had a passion for flying, who accomplished a number of impressive deeds, and who turned out to be very lucky.
Earhart was a woman around whom an international mystery eventually swirled, one that had its genesis in 1937 with her reported disappearance, one that continues to intrigue us to this day. It is a grand mystery that is accompanied by a number of correlative mysteries, all of which have generated considerable controversy over what actually happened to the aviatrix, as well as who was involved. The mysteries extended to manipulations orchestrated by the U.S. government and the extent to which international relationships and politics were inserted.
What may be an even greater mystery surrounds the notion that Earhart, following her disappearance, had been held captive by the Japanese for eight years, rescued at the end of the war, and, with governmental assistance, repatriated to the United States, whe
re she lived out her life under an alias in what amounted to an early-day witness protection program.
More than three-quarters of a century following Earhart’s “disappearance” during her much ballyhooed around-the-world flight, the questions related to what actually happened to her are still being asked, and the answers continue to be debated. Today, there is an overabundance of Amelia Earhart research and inquiry forums on the Internet that remains active and ongoing.
Any tempting research project demands an extensive literature search prior to undertaking a sophisticated investigation. In the case of Amelia Earhart, it was discovered that there exists an active cadre of Earhart aficionados, a large percentage of them aburst with enthusiasm, energy, and commitment but for the most part unskilled at both research and writing. Furthermore, there appears to be little agreement among them relative to what ultimately became of Earhart and her copilot Fred Noonan once they lost radio contact during her famous around-the-world flight. After reading and studying dozens of books and hundreds of articles and Internet sites, as well as interviewing a number of people intimate with flying and with Earhart, it is apparent that there exists a plethora of theories relative to what might have happened to her.
Because of the strong differences of opinion and obvious passion for the subject that can be found among many of the enthusiasts, a degree of hostility exists among some members of the cadre, with occasional sniping at one another throughout the pages of the published books and the Internet postings. It leaves the appearance of aggressive competition, insecure egos, and not much cooperation.
Research has been further hampered by the fact that far too many of the available books about Earhart are self-published and vanity press offerings, all of them suffering from the usual and expected lack of competent editing, design, fact checking, and other furbelows one expects with a serious and professional publication about an important topic. A number of these publications have incompletely prepared indexes or none at all, further frustrating interested readers and researchers.
In the end, it became clear that a great deal of work still needed to be undertaken relative to Amelia Earhart—who she was, what she did, her final mission, and what might have become of her.
In the following pages is presented an array of facts and theories relative to the so-called disappearance of Amelia Earhart, evidence related to what befell her, what might have become of her in the years immediately following what the U.S. government claimed was her crash into the ocean and subsequent sinking, and her eventual repatriation to her homeland, where she may have lived for another several decades under an assumed name.
Layered over the mystery of Amelia Earhart’s disappearance are a number of others that involve prominent political and military figures who weave in and out of the events that began months prior to Earhart’s famous around-the-world flight, mysteries that suggest military conspiracy, political manipulations, cover-up, and outright lying to the American public.
The fact is, the official government position on the fate of Amelia Earhart is a lie. It is hoped that the details relative to a quest for the truth that are presented in this book will contribute to a greater understanding of what happened to America’s first lady of the air.
• 2 •Origins
Throughout much of Amelia Earhart’s life she pursued a number of career choices, seldom remaining long in any of them. The one thing upon which she maintained a deep and vibrant focus, however, was flying. Flying would eventually define her, it would bring her unheard-of fame, and in time it would lead to her famous disappearance, one of the greatest mysteries in the history of the United States.
On July 24, 1897, Amelia Mary Earhart was born to Amy and Edwin Earhart. The birth took place at the home of Amy’s parents in Atchison, Kansas, fifty miles northwest of Kansas City. She was nicknamed “Millie.” When Earhart was born, there were only forty-five states, and the principal personal mode of transportation was horse and buggy. Two and one-half years later a sister, Muriel, was born.
The marriage of Amy and Edwin was stormy. Though Edwin held down a job as a claims attorney for a railroad company, his income was somewhat meager. Amy, on the other hand, was used to a higher standard of living. Her father was Judge Alfred Otis, and the Otis family lived in relative luxury. The problem of not having enough money generated strife sufficient to ship Amelia and Muriel to the Otis home, where they were, for the most part, raised and educated. The sisters were enrolled in a private school in Kansas City.
From time to time, Amelia and Muriel would return to the home of their parents, but peace and harmony were in short supply. In addition to the problems associated with having too little money, Edwin had taken to drinking. Instability reigned, further abetted by the fact that Edwin was transferred often as a result of his job. In time he was fired, and the family income fell to nothing. In 1915, Amy and Edwin separated. Edwin’s alcoholism was to have a profound effect on Amelia, one that surfaced often during subsequent years.
Amelia eventually graduated from Chicago’s Hyde Park High School in June 1916, the sixth such school she attended in four years. By this time, she was known for her competence seasoned with a streak of independence.
Around the time Amelia graduated from high school, mother Amy received an inheritance that provided for a good living, and in time, she and Edwin were reunited and the family was living in Kansas City. In the fall of 1916, Amelia enrolled at Ogontz College in Rydal, Pennsylvania. Ogontz began in 1850 as the Chestnut Street Female Academy in Philadelphia. In 1883 it moved to the Elkin Park estate of financier Jay Cooke and was renamed Ogontz after a Sandusky Indian chief. In 1916, the institution moved to Rydal in the suburban Abington Township. Today, Ogontz is part of the Pennsylvania State University System.
It was while at Ogontz that Amelia began taking notice of women who excelled in positions normally dominated by males, women who were becoming doctors, lawyers, and bank presidents and running for political office.
During the Christmas holiday of 1917, Amelia traveled to Toronto, Canada, to visit sister Muriel, who was living there. It was in Toronto that Amelia first observed soldiers who had returned from World War I, many of whom were wounded and maimed. This impressed her deeply, and with a keen sense of commitment she undertook a Red Cross–sponsored course that would yield a qualification as a nurse’s aide. When Amelia completed the requirements, she began serving at Toronto’s Spadina Military Hospital.
For the most part, Amelia was involved in the menial yet important tasks of emptying bedpans, making beds, working in the kitchen, serving food, and washing patients. Caring for the war-wounded had a deep impact on the young woman, and she never forgot the experience.
While she was serving at the hospital, Amelia met a man who was an officer in the Royal Flying Corps. One day, he invited her to accompany him to an airfield outside of Toronto to watch planes taking off and landing. In her book 20 Hrs. 40 Min.: Our Flight in the Friendship, Amelia wrote that it was this experience that generated her “first urge to fly.”
The war had finally wound down, and Amelia returned to the United States in 1919. While her head was filled with thoughts of airplanes and flying, she enrolled in a premedical program at Columbia University in New York City. After completing one year at the university, Amelia decided to join her parents, who by this time were living in Los Angeles, California. She arrived during the summer of 1920. While in Los Angeles, Amelia and father Edwin attended an air show at Long Beach’s Daugherty Field. Here, she confessed to him that she had always wanted to fly. In response, Edwin made arrangements for his daughter to be taken up in an airplane.
The following day after Edwin paid the ten-dollar fee, Amelia experienced flight for the first time. Before the plane landed, she made a commitment to herself that she was going to learn to pilot an aircraft. She began making plans to take lessons, and she was determined to receive them from a female pilot she had read about.
The pilot was Nita Snook, and she had an immediate an
d deep effect on Earhart. Snook agreed to take the young woman on as a student. To pay for her lessons, Amelia offered Snook some of the Liberty Bonds she possessed. Snook agreed they were sufficient to get far enough along in the lessons to make a determination whether or not her new student had any competencies as a flyer. Earhart took her first lesson on the morning of January 3, 1921, in a Kinner airplane, built by the Kinner Airplane and Motor Corporation.
Most of Earhart’s time was now spent at the airfield absorbing the lessons provided by Snook, as well as in conversations with Bert Kinner, who designed the aircraft. In turn, both Snook and Kinner were impressed with their new student. After soloing, Earhart asked for and received instruction in flying-related emergencies. She practiced these for hours, according to some, and soon achieved the skill of her instructor. Somehow, in 1921 Earhart saved enough money from her job at a telephone company to purchase her own airplane, a Kinner Airster. What income she had remaining after paying her living expenses funded her weekend flying.
With her passion for flying dominating her activities, as well as her need to hold down a full time job, Amelia had little time for a social life. The few men she met were usually encountered at the air shows she attended with Snook. She had little time for the young men who, to her, seemed unfocused and irresponsible, and she was more taken with older ones. In time, Amelia was attending concerts and other outings with a man named Samuel Chapman, originally from Massachusetts and a graduate of Tufts University. Chapman, in fact, was renting a room at the home of Earhart’s parents. In time, the two became quite close.
During late 1921, Amelia entered the Air Rodeo held at the Sierra Airdome in Pasadena, California. She, along with another female pilot named Aloyfia McLintic, were the featured flyers. Amelia made the decision to attempt a new altitude record for women. She accomplished this by ascending more than fourteen thousand feet.
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