Earhart: Famous. Fearless. Vanished.Episode 21:56
The Woman Who Refused to Stay Grounded
The mystery preserved in a radio log leads backward to the record-breaking flights that made the entire world wait for Earhart's voice.
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Transcript
At 8:43 a.m., Earhart transmitted a line, then vanished from the radio.
She said the Electra was on line 157-337, running north and south.
Near Howland Island, the Itasca waited to guide her by radio.
Its cutter crew supported Earhart's radio navigation and communication. KHAQQ, this is Itasca. Send your bearing.
Earlier, at 6:14 a.m., the plane reported it was 200 miles away.
By 7:42 a.m., Earhart could not see the ship; fuel was running low.
They received Itasca's signals, but could not get the minimum needed for a bearing.
At 8:43 a.m., her north-south report became the cutter's last communication.
The search later covered more than 250,000 square miles around Howland.
Rewind to 1922, when Earhart climbed into aviation's record book.
Earhart reached 14,000 feet, setting a women's altitude record.
Altitude can become more than height; it can make possibility visible.
In 1928, she became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic.
In 1932, she became the first woman to pilot that crossing solo and nonstop.
Earhart was the first person to fly solo across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Earhart helped create the Ninety-Nines and was elected its first president.
She urged women into aviation and careers of their own choosing.
I wanted to show what women could do.
Congress recognized her 1932 Atlantic flight with an extraordinary award.
But Earhart's solo Atlantic crossing earned a civilian Distinguished Flying Cross—previously reserved for military pilots…
Where it leaves off
But her solo Atlantic crossing earned Earhart a civilian Distinguished Flying Cross—a medal that had been reserved for military pilots.
Next: Episode 3, The Medal No Civilian Woman Was Supposed to Win
Sources
- The Japanese Government’s Offer of Assistance to Help Find Amelia Earhart, July 1937 – The Text Messagetext-message.blogs.archives.govsecondary
- Radio Log of the Last Communications of Amelia Earhart | National Archivesarchives.govprimary
- Amelia Earhart: Showing What Women Can Do – Pieces of Historyprologue.blogs.archives.govsecondary
- Introduction - Amelia Earhart: A Resource Guide - Research Guides at Library of Congressguides.loc.govsecondary
- Amelia Earhart's Distinguished Flying Cross Award Card | National Archivesarchives.govprimary
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