Thursday
Interview with Amelia Earhart
Wednesday
Earhart On Saipan - The Facts
Recently we spoke to a woman in Hawaii whose father claims that he was aware of Amelia's plane coming down in Mili Atoll. We're in the process of getting an interview with this woman in Hawaii. That will add to the many interviews we obtained while on Saipan.
To watch excerpts of those interviews, please click on the link that takes you to the youtube video "Earhart On Saipan" - to date we have nearly two dozen new eyewitnesses. People who actually saw her on Saipan, people whose parents saw her on Saipan, people who claim they saw her on a Japanese ship that took her to Saipan, people who claim their parents saw or heard or had some first hand knowledge of her being on Saipan.
Our premised has always been simple. Ask people what they saw. Compare their stories. It's not a matter of conjecture, or a matter of wanting her to be alive somewhere - it's just asking human beings what they saw or heard. People's memories are faulty - people's memories of what someone said to someone else may also be faulty - but when you take the amount of eyewitnesses, and add that to the fact that they've been saying consistently the same thing for the past 50 years, but no one outside of Saipan seems to want to know about it... you're left with the puzzling fact that despite numerous eyewitnesses, no one wants to believe what it is they've said.
That's why we went to Saipan with a camera and filmed them. So they could speak in their own words and not through the filter of an author. Let their testimony be what it is. And when you examine the dozens of cases - they all tell the same story.
1. She came down in Mili Atoll. Numerous island witnesses (including the father of the woman mentioned above from Mili) talked about, heard about her, or saw her landing the Electra on Mili. She and Fred Noonan were arrested by the Japanese occupying that atoll for being spies and put aboard a Japanese ship.
2. That Japanese ship and the Electra were taken to Majuro, then Jaluit, then Truk, then Japan.
3. People who aren't aware that Saipan was part of Japan and was considered homeland since 1914 - don't understand the previous sentence.
4. While in Saipan (part of Japan) she was in a hospital and looked after while they decided what to do with her and Fred. Saipan was the command post for the Japanese navy.
5. The Electra was taken to Aslito airfield and stored in a hangar.
6. She spent the next 7 years in prison. Fred was executed early on. She was moved to at least two different cells, one tiny, and the one she spent the bulk of her time in larger but no less difficult - thin roof, in a row of cells that could house about a dozen prisoners at any given time, She was seen here, reported to be here by a few villagers (included in the footage above).
7. Many islanders saw her on the island, or heard of her presence there while she was incarcerated.
8. Sometime in early 1944 two US pilots were shot down over Saipan. They were arrested and put into prison as well.
9. Around May of 1944 she and the two pilots were taken by truck through the island. She (and the pilots) were seen by at least two eyewitnesses (both on camera, in the interviews above)
10. She was executed. The two pilots were executed as well, and their bodies were exhumed by a tribunal to see if they'd been tortured. (a matter of public record)
11. Despite numerous locations where islanders claim she was buried (we've cataloged three cemeteries) we have corroborating testimony that she was beheaded and cremated - considered a more humane and religiously honorable death by the Japanese.
12. We've filmed the crematorium where she was reportedly cremated and have an interview with a woman who lived next to the prison whose Japanese grandfather told her the truth about the "American femal pilot."
13. A Japanese veteran told a Saipanese villager in 1995 that he was one of those assigned to behead and cremate her.
14. Her plane was found in June of 1944 by US Marines. (We have 6 eyewitnesses so far). The plane was guarded by US forces until a decision came to destroy it. It was flown once around the airfield. (6 eyewitnesses) It was then taken to the south end of the field and burned. (3 eyewitnesses). Her briefcase was found and given to military intelligence (two eyewitnesses).
15. Her death and the finding of the plane was covered up by the military. Why is not yet known. Perhaps to "protect her reputation" as was reported in 1945 to Eleanor Roosevelt (public record), perhaps because she was a "spy" in the vein that Julia Child spied for FDR as a favor - but we have no evidence as to why these details occurred in the fashion they did. To speculate is only that - and we based our research on eyewitness reports.
16. If her plane was destroyed in 1944 as reported, burned on the airfield, because of its unique craftmanship, with a proper survey team (which we have the permits for) the plane, or a piece of it could be found on that airfield. We are still actively trying to recover a piece of the plane from that field. There are other artifacts that have been reported; a ring she gave an islander (we've tracked the location to a house leveled by hurricane) her flight jacket, the briefcase, a book of photographs found on Saipan during the war and turned over to Marine intelligence (one eyewitness) or even reports of her passport from the briefcase still in existence.
17. As a wise person said to us; "it's not important how Amelia Earhart died. It's important how she lived." We are not trying to prove anything to anyone - we are just trying to document the truth of what really happened. It would be wonderful if her plane was found elsewhere - it would mean that all of these people, the US Marines included, would have been inaccurate, wrong, deluded or making things up. However, in our humble experience with Marines (team leader Mike Harris is one) we tend to shy away from calling Marines liars. For our own health and safety.
We made this trip to find out the truth of what happened to Amelia Earhart. We happen to agree that the truth can set people free. That for whatever reason she was executed for being a spy - whether she was or not a spy, she was executed as one - deserves to be known to honor her memory and her legacy.
These are the facts surrounding Amelia Earhart's final years, final days. She sacrificed everything - but she is still a beacon for what one person could do, she is still a hero for what she accomplished in her short and amazing life. And as a spiritual matter, she lives on in our hearts to inspire others around the world as a result of her life story.
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.
Friday
Breaking News... is this Amelia Earhart's Airplane?
They read a press release, and print it verbatim. Never mind that no one saw her plane anywhere else but Saipan, never mind that over a dozen new eyewitnesses have come forth to say they saw her on Saipan, never mind that US Marines claim they found her plane, her briefcase, and now a portfolio of pictures from the Electra.
Never mind these facts, news media. Why report when you can print the press release?
Please. Watch for yourself these eyewitness reports. Here are samples of eyewitness interviews, done this past March on Saipan of NEW eyewitnesses who saw Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan on Saipan after 1937. Of eyewitnesses her saw both her and her plane on Saipan. Of eyewitnesses who saw her incarcerated on Saipan all the way into the 1940's. Of eyewitnesses who found her plane in a hangar on Aslito airfield.. we could go on - but must we?
We are not selling this clip. We present it here for the world to see and hear themselves what the eyewitness reports are. It's time to stop printing press releases and literally do some digging. We know where the plane is buried. We intend to return to Saipan to dig it up. Literally.
Please share this with your local media outlet, share it with your friends, share it with anyone who really cares about where her plane came down and what REALLY happened to her. See for yourself what they are saying by clicking on the photo:
Breaking News... is this Amelia Earhart's Airplane?
They read a press release, and print it verbatim. Never mind that no one saw her plane anywhere else but Saipan, never mind that over a dozen new eyewitnesses have come forth to say they saw her on Saipan, never mind that US Marines claim they found her plane, her briefcase, and now a portfolio of pictures from the Electra.
Never mind that news media.
Watch for yourself. Here are the eyewitness interviews, done this past March on Saipan of NEW eyewitnesses who saw Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan on Saipan after 1937. Of eyewitnesses her saw both her and her plane on Saipan. Of eyewitnesses who saw her incarcerated on Saipan all the way into the 1940's. Of eyewitnesses who found her plane in a hangar on Aslito airfield.. we could go on - but must we?
Please share this with your local media outlet, share it with your friends, share it with anyone who really cares about where her plane came down and what REALLY happened to her. See for yourself what they are saying by clicking on the photo:
Tuesday
The Search for the Electra
New information has come in and we are having it translated as we speak. Meanwhile, we're beginning a fund to raise money to return to Saipan to survey the airfield and if possible, locate a piece of the Electra.
If you are interested in helping us return to Saipan to find a piece of the plane, please contact us at MartiniProds at Gmail for further information, or find the donate link on this page. Every nickel helps!! Thank you.
Meanwhile, here's a bit of the information that we've been working on:
The Search continues....
Veteran Andrew Bryce met a Stevedore in Majuro who put the plane on the Kyoshu |
The ship that Bilimon Amaron went aboard to see Earhart and Noonan |
Doug Bryce was stationed on Saipan, saw the Electra on Aslito |
Nabers guarded the Electra for 24 hours, then watched it burn |
Found Earhart's briefcase in a safe near the church |
Oscar remembered his father saying they'd captured an "American female pilot" and brought her to Jaluit in 1937 |
He either served in Guam with the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1990's, and ultimately would have been under the Pacific Command in Hawaii. The dredging began in the 1994 and continued for 6 years until the year 2000. His name may have been Mayer, or perhaps Meyer, or even Myers.
But one wonders what happened to the piece of an airplane he pulled up. Where did it go?
Lotan Jack remembered a claim they'd shot her down. |
All along this journey, we have stood by our maxim; if one person claims that they saw something, we look for a second person who may have seen or heard the same information. That's how we have learned that the Electra came down at Mili, was taken to Jaluit, eventually to Saipan. That Amelia and Fred were incarcerated, and Fred executed early on. How Amelia was in a prison for up to 7 years, how more than one Chomorro saw her in prison, saw her transported on the back of a truck with two other downed US Pilots, and saw her, or heard of her execution.
Manny Muna tells the story of Jesus Salas, who was incarcerated between AE and Fred Noonan |
Ms. Blas tells the story of seeing AE executed |
Aslito when it was liberated in June 1944 |
Tanapag Harbor, where the plane may have ended up |
Thanks for staying tuned....
Monday
Josephine Blanco Akiyama
Went up to see Josephine Blanco Akiyama this past weekend and her husband Max, both from Saipan.
It was with Josephine that the story on Earhart on Saipan began back in the 1940's.
Josephine Blas Blanco as a young girl on Saipan. Photo courtesy JB Akiyama |
She wasn't the first person to see Amelia, of course. The Queen of Mili atoll saw her plane come down and land in Mili (Oliver Knagg's book), then Amelia was seen by Bilimon Amaron (later Jerry Kramer's business partner, who Jerry vouches for "100%") - she spoke to Bilimon in English, unfortunately he didn't speak English, but heard the crew calling her "Ameera." (his words).
Then we have a host of new people who've come forward who saw Amelia on Saipan - some say she was the "first caucasian woman" they'd ever seen, and that she was dressed like a man, so needless to say her appearance on Saipan - as it would be anywhere in the world - was something that everyone noted.
However, because of the time and place - Saipan - people were afraid to come forward and discuss it. Which I confirmed with an extensive interview with Ms. Akiyama - who at 87 recalls these events as if they were yesterday.
Tan Josephine today in Foster City |
Mr. and Mrs. Juan Blanco. Photo courtesy JB Akiyama |
The Blanco family, Josephine last row rear left. Korean brother in law who forgot his lunch is the groom. Juan Blanco front row. Photo courtesy JB Akiyama |
Dinner for Japanese dignitaries in the Blanco Home. Photo courtesy JB Akiyama |
Old Garapan City, and a typical bicycle on its dirt street. Photo courtesy JB Akiyama |
This was a hospital before and during the war, now home to the CNMI Museum - one of our witnesses says his mom heard about Amelia and Fred being treated here. Photo courtesy JB Akiyama |
Dr. Schifft. Josephine is far right. She told Shifft about seeing the female pilot dressed as a man, and he told Paul Briand. Photo JB Akiyama |
So here we are in 2013 interviewing a woman about what she saw, when she saw it, how she saw it. She told other stories about Saipan, all of which can be corroborated, about the war, about what happened to her family. The stories we've heard about the war are very common. She also told the dramatic story of having her home taken by the Japanese, how she snuck back into her home one day to get some fresh water and was almost executed, how she and her fellow students became slave workers for the military government, how they were abused - but also how when the shelling began, there was a moment when it looked like her family of ten would be killed by the falling bombs - and a Japanese soldier showed them an underground shelter -- which saved her life.
Josephine around the time she came to the States. Photo courtesy JB Akiyama |
Including Fred Noonan and Amelia Earhart.
Fred & Amelia. Photo Purdue Archive |
Wrong place, wrong time.
But they both died patriots - because they were both killed for being Americans. Isn't it about time we honor that sacrifice?
Thank you Josephine for telling us this story on camera. Stay tuned...
Public Talk about the interviews and conclusions made of the Earhart on Saipan research
Apologies for any sound or picture issues, we just had the one camera set up for the shoot. Paul Cooper on the left, Rich Martini in the middle, and Mike Harris on the right. Enjoy!
Friday
More interviews, some radio time, gathering footage continues
We did an interview with Catherine Rosario Perry today, on Saipan's 99.5 FM "Your Humanities Half Hour." Rich Martini handled the history and journey of ARA, and how we came to be on the island, and why we felt it was worth pursuing the eyewitness reports that Amelia and Fred Noonan were seen many times by many people on the island.
We'll post a link as soon as it becomes available.
Catherine R Perry in action "Your Humanities Half Hour" on 99.5 |
Rich discussed how he and Mike Harris had followed roughly the same path back in the 80's with regard to finding eyewitnesses who could tell their story about Saipan. Mike filmed a number of interviews back then, and Rich pursued the Earhart story as a feature film. When he wound up working on "Amelia" he decided to focus his efforts on the documentary version of the story, and included a number of interviews he had done with US Marines who claimed to find the Electra during WWII parked on Aslito airfield.
Rich with witness Delores Takamane across from the old jail |
Paul Cooper and Mike Harris speaking about the search Will post the video of this talk in a few days |
Newsman Fred Goerner wrote "Searching for Earhart" and visited Saipan three times in his research |
Fred interviewed this woman in 1960.. but no one bothered to put her on film. We will. |
This author, Oliver Knaggs, interviewed a number of people on camera for his book |
Hard to find book, however, Knaggs interviews some of the same people who Mike Harris interviewed in 1983 |
Lest we forget who we're talking about. American hero. Never thanked for her sacrifice to country. |
EYEWITNESS REPORTS
Eyewitness Accounts: Published
EYEWITNESS: THE AMELIA EARHART INCIDENT BY THOMAS E DEVINE WITH RICHARD M DALEY
Pg 40. “Glancing out on the runway ramp.. an area not the main part of Aslito Field, but an extended arm of the airstrip at the southwest corner… Near an embankment was (AE’s plane). (LATER) .. a muffled explosion at Aslito Field erupted into a large flash fire… I crouched and crawled toward the airfield. When I could see what was burning, I was aghast! The twin engine plane was engulfed in flames! I could not see anyone by the light of the fire… in July 1944.”
THE SEARCH FOR AMELIA EARHART BY FRED GOERNER
Goerner gathers dozens of eyewitnesses to Earhart’s incarceration and second hand info about her execution.
AMELIA EARHART: LAST FLIGHT
Amelia reveals she did not know Morse code (and neither did Fred Noonan)
AMELIA EARHART:HER LAST FLIGHT
By OLIVER KNAGSS
South African journalist gathers numerous eyewitnesses at Mili, Majuro and Jaluit. There is footage of these interviews, but it exists somewhere in Miami – still trying to locate the negative.
AMELIA EARHART: THE MYSTERY SOLVED By ELGEN M LONG AND MARIE K LONG
Elgen shows how the original plan devised by radio man Harry Manning was adhered to by the Coast Guard Itasca – they didn’t know Manning got off the plane in Hawaii and wasn’t on the electra. So 90% of all their communication was in Morse code – something neither AE or FN knew.
“WITH OUR OWN EYES – EYEWTINESSES TO THE FINAL DAYS OF AMELIA EARHART” MIKE CAMPBELL WITH THOMAS E DEVINE
PG 32. Robert Sosbe, 1st battalion 20th Marines, 4th marine division) Sosbe said he saw the Electra before and during its destruction) “on or about D+5 after our infantry had captured Alsito, the night before, then were driven off, only to capture it again, our Co was called up to fill a gap between our infantry and the 27th Army infantry. The trucks carrying us stopped off the opposite side of the runway from the hangars and tower about 3 to 5 hundred yds. This two engine airplane was pulled from the hangar to off the runway where it was engulfed in flames from one end to the other. I can still remember exactly the way it burned, how the frame and ribs because it was visible. It was about half dark. It burned approximately 15-30 minutes.”
Same page: a letter from Earskine Nabers: “I am seeking Marines who were placed on duty at Aslito to guard a padlocked hangar containing AE’s plane. The hangar was not one of those located along the runway. It was located near what may have been a Japanese administration building, and an unfinished hangar at the tarmac, in the southwest corner of the airfield.
The follow up letter (pg 33)
…”we had to get Col. Clarence R Wallace to sign all the messages that came through the message center.) Hq 8th moved back to bivouac area. I was dropped off at the Hangar for guard duty at the main road that went by west side of hangar. The road that went out to hangar, I was placed on the right side, just as it left the main road….
Pg 34 The best I can recall the plane was pulled on the field by a jeep.. the plane was facing north after the plane was parked and jeep moved. A plane came over real low and on the next pass he strafed the plane and it went up in a huge fireball. (We were sitting on the west side of the airfield about one hundred yards from the plane. We were on higher ground. As far as I remember, the (men) that pulled the plane on the field and us guys from H & S 8th were the only ones there.”
Pg 36 Marine Capt Earl Ford of Fallbrook, CA, artillery master sgt with 2nd Marines. Interview 6-7-88 by Paul Cook. “The aircraft was about 100 yards (from me) maybe less. We all saw it. No way we could miss it. A civilian twin engine. No way it was military. American aircraft in civil registration… some officers were saying it was Amelia’s… it had only two windows on the side, back here.”
Arthur Nash, Air Corps Corps, P47 group on Aslito. Claims he saw the plane on July 4, 1944 (book says 1945, must be a misprint based on following) pg 40:
“After landing on Isley.. at 2:30 pm, Japanese soldiers were running around the airstrip, one killed himself in the cockpit of a P47D with a grenade…” I slept fairly well (in the hangar) and (in the morning) wandered over to a large hole in the hangar wall facing the other hangar. The hangar floor and the area between the hangars was littered with debris, displace with siding from the hangars, maybe 65 yards apart, but close enough to get a good look at a familiar aircraft outside the other hangar. My eyesight was acute and what I saw was Amelia Earhart’s airplane!... the next morning I went over to see it but it was gone.”
Jerrell Chatham, 1st platoon, I company, 3rd regiment, 2nd marine deivions: “I was driving trucks .. on Saipan… when we went ashore I saw the hangar where Amelia Earhart’s plane was stored, I also saw the plane in the air. They told us not to go close to the airplane hangar and we did not…”
Pg 44: Howard Ferris, US Marines: “Sent to Saipan for guard dutey… an old hangar structure at end of a runway. This hangar was not large,.. small trees in front of big doors.. (then he recounts the same Marine argument that Devine and Nabers recount – where some Navy brass attempted to get in, but a Marine (Nabers) refused them entry.)” Howard was not present at the fire, but one of his buddies was. The buddy said a truck arrived with many gas cans and the guards saturated the entire hangar.. and it burned totally.
Pg 50 Robert Sowash, 23rd regiment 4th Marines Division: “I saw a plane in a building that was not a military plane.. I remember other Marines saying it was the same as Earhart’s. Later the place was cordoned off..”
Pete Leblanc, 121st Naval CB’s, 4th Marine division: “some of our guys were sneaking over towards the airfield to try and see (AE’s plane). We heard there were guards there. Then it was burned up later.”
AMELIA EARHART: LOST LEGEND - DONALD MOYER WILSON
Over 200 eyewitnesses as gathered by all the different authors with the various reports of her landing on Mili, being brought to Jaluit and incarcerated in Garapan prison.