It was on this day in 1897, the world's most famous aviatrix was born.
Today a number of people have posted her quote:
"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace; the soul that knows it not knows no release."
We are still in the process of trying to help grant her that peace.
We've been discussing a return to Saipan to continue our search for her airplane.
Just to recap:
We went to Saipan to see if anyone knew anything about her presence there after 1937. We spoke to many people, some of whom we put on camera and asked them to tell us their story. Their stories were consistent, and the details that the people spoke of, about their own lives during WWII and before, could be verified.
We also spoke to US Marines who found her plane in 1944. It was parked out on Aslito airfield. We've collected a number of these eyewitness reports on camera, some in print. We are convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that these men are telling the truth. They found Amelia Earhart's Electra parked in a hangar in June of 1944. They guarded it, they spoke about it, they even saw it fly. And then they saw it destroyed by US Forces on the airfield a few weeks later.
Why?
We've yet to hear a definite reason why - at least one that more than one eyewitness can corroborate. But since it only took us three weeks to get 17 NEW EYEWITNESSES to seeing Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan on Saipan, we are confident we will find more. Either the sons and daughters of those eyewitnesses, or god willing, the eyewitnesses themselves. See for yourself:
We've spoken to a few people about creating a permanent exhibit on Saipan after we find a piece of her plane. We've been asked why we'd do something like that. Because the story of Saipan and the history and the plane are intertwined, and the wreckage of the plane, and her burial - whether cremation, or burial - belong to Saipan, belong to this island that has given so much to so many countries for so many years. Spain, Germany, Japan, and now the US have all laid claim to its land and spectacular views.
It's not Saipan's fault that it was overrun by these different countries - but it is up to Saipan as to what they want to do with its own history. So we'd like to work with them to create something that's worthy of the people and history of this wonderful island as well as tell the true story of what happened after she disappeared from history books - after she was declared officially "lost at sea" - after she was declared legally dead by her husband, George Putnam, who came to Saipan during WWII when he was stationed in Tinian. Perhaps he wanted to hear the stories for himself.
What would the exhibit be? That has yet to be determined. It might just be what we found on our trip to Saipan and what we've learned from that trip. It might include the history of Saipan and all the occupying forces - it might include some of the stories we've gathered from eyewitnesses. It might be more than that - but first we'd have to find that piece of her plane that we are convinced exists on Saipan. Over 200 people claim they saw Amelia Earhart after she disappeared in 1937. New eyewitnesses place her on the island as late as 1944. Doesn't the memory of Amelia Earhart deserve some honor for what she suffered possibly the last seven years of her life?
Buried in the dirt of the airfield? Perhaps. Buried at sea? Less likely, but also possible. We will leave no stone (not literally, any digging we do is supervised by the Historians and archeologists on Saipan) unturned in our search for her. As soon as we can confirm our return plans, to continue our search for a piece of the Electra, we'll announce it here.
But HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMELIA.
Today a number of people have posted her quote:
"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace; the soul that knows it not knows no release."
We are still in the process of trying to help grant her that peace.
We've been discussing a return to Saipan to continue our search for her airplane.
Just to recap:
We went to Saipan to see if anyone knew anything about her presence there after 1937. We spoke to many people, some of whom we put on camera and asked them to tell us their story. Their stories were consistent, and the details that the people spoke of, about their own lives during WWII and before, could be verified.
We also spoke to US Marines who found her plane in 1944. It was parked out on Aslito airfield. We've collected a number of these eyewitness reports on camera, some in print. We are convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that these men are telling the truth. They found Amelia Earhart's Electra parked in a hangar in June of 1944. They guarded it, they spoke about it, they even saw it fly. And then they saw it destroyed by US Forces on the airfield a few weeks later.
Why?
We've yet to hear a definite reason why - at least one that more than one eyewitness can corroborate. But since it only took us three weeks to get 17 NEW EYEWITNESSES to seeing Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan on Saipan, we are confident we will find more. Either the sons and daughters of those eyewitnesses, or god willing, the eyewitnesses themselves. See for yourself:
We've spoken to a few people about creating a permanent exhibit on Saipan after we find a piece of her plane. We've been asked why we'd do something like that. Because the story of Saipan and the history and the plane are intertwined, and the wreckage of the plane, and her burial - whether cremation, or burial - belong to Saipan, belong to this island that has given so much to so many countries for so many years. Spain, Germany, Japan, and now the US have all laid claim to its land and spectacular views.
It's not Saipan's fault that it was overrun by these different countries - but it is up to Saipan as to what they want to do with its own history. So we'd like to work with them to create something that's worthy of the people and history of this wonderful island as well as tell the true story of what happened after she disappeared from history books - after she was declared officially "lost at sea" - after she was declared legally dead by her husband, George Putnam, who came to Saipan during WWII when he was stationed in Tinian. Perhaps he wanted to hear the stories for himself.
What would the exhibit be? That has yet to be determined. It might just be what we found on our trip to Saipan and what we've learned from that trip. It might include the history of Saipan and all the occupying forces - it might include some of the stories we've gathered from eyewitnesses. It might be more than that - but first we'd have to find that piece of her plane that we are convinced exists on Saipan. Over 200 people claim they saw Amelia Earhart after she disappeared in 1937. New eyewitnesses place her on the island as late as 1944. Doesn't the memory of Amelia Earhart deserve some honor for what she suffered possibly the last seven years of her life?
Buried in the dirt of the airfield? Perhaps. Buried at sea? Less likely, but also possible. We will leave no stone (not literally, any digging we do is supervised by the Historians and archeologists on Saipan) unturned in our search for her. As soon as we can confirm our return plans, to continue our search for a piece of the Electra, we'll announce it here.
But HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMELIA.
No comments:
Post a Comment