Research Document #37

The Carey Article

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EARHART FEATURE
Ka Eleele 3
ja.carey

of the takeoff from Lae at 8:15PM. At 9PM confirmation of the takeoff comes officially from Lae via Tutuila radio, however, the message indicates Earhart took off at 1:30PM---another difference---though it is official and undoubtedly the true report of the takeoff time. The message added the information, “Due 18 hours Howland.”

To the radio room of the Itasca, I posted myself in one of the corners after filing a message of the confirmed takeoff time to the San Francisco AP Bureau. At set intervals of time (based on Greenwich), two radios on the Itasca kept strict listening and calling signals going on 31.05 kilocycles.

Coffee, steaming hot, kept all awake. Four radiomen worked the two radios four hours on and four off. The night wore on and no word yet from Earhart. The USS Ontario, stationed