Amelia Earhart's Disappearance
Int. Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery Finds Coast Guard Diary
Apr 2, 2007
A recent national article implies that a diary found by a member of TIGHAR (The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery)which he purchased from eBay might help finally solve this greatest aviation mystery. But does it?
The diary was kept by 23 year old A.P. reporter James W. Carey, Carey was on the Coast Guard Cutter Itasca in July of 1937. The Itasca’s purpose was to help Amelia to land safely on Howland Island during her attempt to be the first person to fly around the world at the equator. Instead of landing on the island, she disappeared.
TIGHAR - It's theories and findings
This recent article featuring TIGHAR’s find seems to imply that the diary will not only help solve the disappearance, but aid in verifying their version of what happened to Amelia when on that fateful morning in July, she never arrived on Howland Island. According to TIGHAR, when Amelia failed to spot Howland, she turned south and landed on what was then known as Gardner Island, where she and her navigator Frederick Noonan eventually perished, unrescued.
TIGHAR has been searching for her plane for over ten years. They have published two well-written books on the subject, have a very fine and qualified group of researchers and have in that time brought to light some excellent new information surrounding Amelia’s disappearance.
They have also made several expeditions to this island. Although they have found some tantalizing artifacts on the island, they have yet to find any conclusive proof that Amelia, Fred or her Lockheed Electra plane were ever there. Now they are seeking to raise funds for another expedition.
Upon reading TIGHAR’s latest find, the Carey diary, on the TIGHAR website, what the recent article does not point out is that the diary does not give proof that TIGHAR’s theory is correct. The article also does not point out that the TIGHAR theory is not the only plausible theory of what might have happened to Amelia and Fred that day.
Seemingly, the most logical theory about their disappearance is that when Amelia failed to find Howland Island, she ended up ditching the plane in the water, very near Howland, based on the few brief radio contacts the Itasca had with her.
Did Amelia crash in the ocean and die?
A renowned pilot named Elgen Long has done his own very credible research and he and a company called NAUTICOS have been searching for the plane in the waters around Howland. To date, they have made two expeditions, but will need to make one more to cover what their professional experts claim is the most highly probable area for the ditching.
Did Amelia land on hostile Japanese held territory
The other major theory about what happened is that when Amelia could not find Howland, she turned her plane north and ended up in the Marshall Islands then held by the Japanese. It was there they say she was held as a prisoner of war by Japanese and eventually met her death. There are a great many eyewitness reports placing a white woman and man and even a silver plane matching the description of the Lockheed in those islands in or around 1937.
Also, a number of U.S. Army and Marine soldiers say they saw artifacts related to Amelia on Saipan Island, also at that time held by the Japanese. The book, With Our Own Eyes details this theory.
Although those are the three major theories, there are also others such as Amelia was captured by the Japanese, but later released after the war and came back to America under an assumed name. This theory is popularized by the book Amelia Earhart Lives by Joseph Gervais and Joseph Klaas.
So, it appears that contrary to what the recent article implies, although the diary is a great find and very important to the body of Earhart research in general, it neither proves TIGHAR’s theory or any theory for that matter. The search continues. Anyone wishing to become involved is encouraged to contact any of the links mentioned above.
