Amelia Earhart (5 page)

In March, Pan American Airways agreed to assist Earhart with her flight. In the meantime, Manning attempted to familiarize himself with the Bendix receiver and experienced difficulties at the outset. When Earhart tried the equipment, it likewise frustrated her. Putnam continued to harbor suspicions related to Manning's navigational abilities and confessed this to Earhart. It was suggested that they allow Manning to navigate them on a flight from Burbank to San Francisco, swing out some distance over the ocean for the return flight, and see whether he could route them back to the point of origin. Employing the newly installed direction-finding apparatus as well as celestial navigation, Manning was off by twenty miles by the time they approached Burbank on the return leg of the trip. Putnam determined that it would be necessary to obtain either a more sophisticated radio direction finder or a more competent navigator.

On returning to Burbank, Putnam made arrangements to meet with a man named Fred Noonan. Noonan had been the chief navigator for Pan American Airways, had recently left the job, and was living in Oakland. Noonan was forty-three years old, had been employed by Pan American for seven years, and was regarded by many as one of the top aerial navigators in the world.

Putnam had suggested to Mantz that he accompany Earhart on the first leg of the flight from Oakland to Honolulu. He agreed. On landing, Mantz would then be responsible for monitoring the servicing for the aircraft. True to his calling, Putnam had arranged for Earhart to have several press conferences in Honolulu. Putnam planned to ask Noonan to accompany Manning to aid in the navigation. Manning, for his part, often expressed the opinion that Earhart lacked sufficient experience with the aircraft for an around-the-world flight. Author Vincent Loomis expressed the opinion that, based on Earhart's history, she was not a good candidate for long-distance flying. He pointed out that she suffered from recurring bouts of illness after long periods of stress and that the tension of a long flight could lead to impaired judgment.

Putnam and Manning met with Noonan. Noonan agreed to travel with them as far as Howland Island. During this portion of the flight, he would have a chance to examine the navigational equipment. Noonan also requested an octant for celestial navigation. The Electra's call letters would be KHAQQ and would transmit on 500, 3,105, or 6,210 kilocycles using both telegraphy and voice during the flight.

W
hile Amelia Earhart and a few other female pilots were focusing on their chosen paths and while a small percentage of Americans and Europeans were finding delight in following the adventures of these intrepid women, the rest of the world was in turmoil.

America, as well as much of Europe and elsewhere, was mired in an economic depression. Unemployment was at a record high, and, when it came to the government, the nation's mood was one of disappointment and suspicion. In Europe, Adolf Hitler was making headlines with his rise to power. Spain was involved in a civil war.

What preoccupied the thoughts of many an elected politician, however, was the military buildup in Japan as well as the aggressive attitudes of the leaders of that country. Japan already occupied Korea, had recently invaded Manchuria, and was moving its forces into China. Japan's leaders removed the country from membership in the League of Nations in 1933 and served notice that it would annul its commitment to the arms treaties. Around the same time, Japan expanded its dominance and control over the Marshall and Caroline Islands in the Pacific. While the United States referred to these possessions as Japan's “mandated islands,” the Japanese called them “the Imperial Islands of Japan.”

Japan proceeded to occupy the aforementioned islands and establish vast agricultural plantations and compounds, most of them associated with the farming of rice, sugar cane, and rubber trees. In addition, they searched for, located, and exploited oil reserves. What concerned the United States and the rest of the world, however, was the suspected Japanese armed forces buildup accompanied by construction of airfields, shipping docks, and more. The islands were being fortified militarily, and leaders of nations around the globe were wondering to what end. The United States was desperately in need of learning what was going on in the mandated islands but had no way of finding out.

With Earhart's announcement of her plan to fly around the world, advisers in the upper echelons of the federal government saw an opportunity to learn more about what was taking place in the Japanese possessions in the Pacific.

During November 1936, the U.S. government agreed to assist Earhart with her around-the-world flight. President Franklin D. Roosevelt directed the chief of naval operations to provide support. A plan was formulated where Earhart, flying east out of Oakland, would land at Honolulu, refuel, and then travel to Howland Island, southwest of Hawaii, where she would again stop for refueling and maintenance. Howland Island was located in the same general area as the Marshall Islands, an area of particular concern for the U.S. government. In departing the island, Earhart could then fly over the Marshalls and other mandated islands and take photographs of any suspected military ports, airfields, compounds, and other installations. To this end, the U.S. Navy immediately undertook the construction of an airfield on Howland Island, a designated refueling station.

D
uring the Oakland Airport–based preparations for the flight around the world, Earhart met a fifteen-year-old boy named Robert Myers. The Myers family had moved to Oakland the previous year and purchased a house four miles from the airport. When not in school, Myers would walk or hitchhike to the airport and spend the day watching planes take off and land. So common a sight was he that the mechanics, baggage handlers, and other workers called him by his first name and, since he was well behaved and respectful, allowed him to roam freely about the environs.

As Earhart and her crew were involved in plans for the flight, a large section of the airport was closed down to accommodate them. Events such as races and parachute jumps were postponed for the time being, and much of the space was posted off-limits. In spite of that, Myers was still allowed to visit the area and observe the goings-on. In fact, the airport manager, Guy Turner, had grown fond of the boy and enjoyed seeing him around.

Myers met Earhart, along with a number of other well-known pilots, one year earlier at a powder-puff derby held at the airport. When Earhart would take a break in the tiny Oakland Airport coffee shop and Myers happened to wander by, she would buy him an ice cream cone or some other treat. In time, Earhart began treating Myers like a little brother.

Myers also encountered “a man who called himself Fred Noonan.” One day Myers stood nearby and watched while Noonan was washing an airplane. Myers noted that the mechanics and others assisting with Earhart's flight preparations called him “Noonan” or “Fred,” but Paul Manning told the youth that his name was not Fred at all, but Bill. A mystery involving the two names would surface years later.

Myers noted that Earhart, Noonan, and Mantz spent extended periods of time in the coffee shop in quiet conversation. On occasion, Myers was invited to sit with them, and he would listen to their discussion regarding aerial communications, engines, logistics, and more. Myers's relationship with Earhart was to involve some curious twists years later.

O
n March 17, 1937, hundreds of spectators, including Robert Myers, arrived to watch Earhart take off for the Oakland-Honolulu leg of her muchpublicized around-the-world attempt. The Electra lifted off at 4:37 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

The flight was smooth and uneventful until around 2:00 a.m. the next day. Following a remixing of the fuel combinations, it was noticed that the sound of the propellers was out of synch; one was running faster than the other. Earhart worked with the controls for a few seconds in an attempt to correct the problem, but it soon became clear that the right propeller was stuck at 1,600 rpm. The situation was manageable but would need to be corrected on arriving at Honolulu. They would not be able to continue the flight with this problem. Earhart set the Electra down at Wheeler Field at 5:55 a.m.

On landing, Earhart and the Electra's crew were greeted by the press, hundreds of spectators, and a number of military officials. When the photograph sessions and press conferences were finally over, attention turned to the maintenance of the Electra and the correction of the out-of-synch propeller. Mantz reviewed with the maintenance crew all of the plane's problems. These included the issue with the propeller, a generator that was showing a negative charge, spark plugs that needed to be changed for new ones, and an instrument light on the panel that was too bright. It was intended that they take off for Howland Island that evening.

Earhart managed a call to Putnam in Oakland to update him on the status of the flight. She caught him up on the specifics of the difficulties and related that she was impressed by Noonan's navigational skills.

At 2:00 p.m., Mantz went to the hangar where the Electra was being serviced and learned that the right propeller hub was almost completely dry and required a considerable amount of lubrication. To his surprise, the technician pointed out that it had apparently never been oiled prior to takeoff in Oakland. After filling the hub with lubricant, Mantz and the technician checked for leaks and found none.

The generator problem was the result of a blown current limiter fuse and was repaired. The spark plugs had been cleaned, regapped, and reinstalled. The bright instrument light on the panel was painted white to reduce the glare.

Mantz started up the engines and discovered that the right propeller would not move. Concerned, he had both propellers removed and sent to the Hawaiian Air Depot at Luke Field for complete overhauls. He called Earhart and explained what was going on and informed her he could not provide any information on when the overhauls would be completed but hoped they would be ready for a test flight by 7:00 a.m. the next morning.

While in Honolulu, Noonan fell in the bathroom of his hotel room and, according to his dentist, Dr. F. Clifford Phillips, “broke off his upper front teeth.” Most who were close to the navigator were convinced that Noonan, who had a history of drinking problems, was inebriated at the time of the accident. The event was a harbinger of things to come.

On Friday, March 19, Earhart and Mantz arrived at Wheeler Field just before 6:00 a.m. and walked into the hangar where the Electra was being worked on. A Lieutenant Arnold greeted them and reviewed the work that had been done on the propellers. Following this, Earhart and Mantz inspected the runway and expressed dissatisfaction with the conditions. As a result of recent construction projects, shallow trenches had been excavated across the takeoff and landing strip and not refilled. Earhart decided to move the plane to nearby Luke Field on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor for the lift-off.

The Electra was fueled and given a preflight inspection. The engines were started. Mantz listened to them for ten minutes before determining they were fit for the flight. Mantz exited the cockpit and walked around the plane examining the engine nacelles and landing gear for leaks. He found none but did notice that the oil- and air-filled shock absorbers, called oleo struts, were out of line. The right one was extended four inches and the left one was extended just over two inches. Mantz summoned the mechanic. He let the air out of the right one, bringing it into line with the left. Mantz finally declared the plane in good condition and informed the officers in charge of the depot that the mechanics had done a stellar job. The Electra was given a test flight from Wheeler Field to Luke Field.

On reexamining the Electra after landing at Luke Field, Mantz noticed that the right oleo strut was extended two and one-eighth inches, the left was extended two and five-eighths inches, and the right strut valve was leaking. Assisted by a mechanic, Mantz replaced the valve core on the right strut and pumped air into it until it was equal to the left. After more conferences between Mantz, Earhart, and the mechanics, it was decided to take off from Luke Field either at 11:00 p.m. that evening or at dawn of the following day, depending on the weather. Earhart asked Noonan to accompany the flight all the way to Australia, and he agreed to do so.

A
s a result of a minor problem with a fuel filter and a more serious one with the weather, it was decided to delay the takeoff until the following morning. At 5:30 a.m., Earhart entered the cockpit among cheers from spectators and the popping of flashbulbs. At around 5:40, Earhart taxied to the end of the runway. She advanced the throttles until the engines were running at half power. She released the brakes and advanced the engines up to full power. As the plane moved down the runway, the left engine was running noticeably faster than the right one, and the Electra drifted slightly to the right.

Though accelerating smoothly, the plane continued to drift. In an attempt to steer the plane back to center, Earhart pushed the left rudder pedal hard, but it appeared to have no effect. She then eased the left throttle back to remove some of the power from the left engine. At that moment, the right wing dipped. With the left engine power reduced, the plane began a long left turn while seeming to accelerate—the beginnings of what is termed a ground loop. A ground loop is defined as a “loss of directional control while the aircraft is on the ground.” It is similar to a vehicle spinning out. The plane tilted, and the right wing tip scraped the ground. Suddenly, the right landing gear collapsed, to be followed a second later by the left. The Electra went into a left-oriented skid on its belly. To the relief of everyone on board as well as those watching, there was no explosion or fire. Some said it was a miracle.