TIGHAR

Amelia Earhart Search Forum => General discussion => Topic started by: Randy Conrad on November 14, 2012, 10:29:15 PM

Title: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Randy Conrad on November 14, 2012, 10:29:15 PM
Hi! As many of you are aware, I have been doing alot of extensive research in the famed freckle ointment jar found on the island. It has gotten so interesting and addictive that I have set a new course for my venture of locating it in Chicago. So with the help of the Chicago Tribune I went back into time last night, and stumbled upon this? So my biggest question is....Where were these mailings placed in the Electra? And why weren't there any photographs of these mailings? Love to hear your feedback...thanks!!!
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Dan Kelly on November 14, 2012, 11:52:45 PM
About three quarters of the way down is a round the world flight cover, signed by her,

http://postalmuseum.si.edu/museum/1d_Earhart_Mail.html
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Gary LaPook on November 15, 2012, 12:05:16 AM
Hi! As many of you are aware, I have been doing alot of extensive research in the famed freckle ointment jar found on the island. It has gotten so interesting and addictive that I have set a new course for my venture of locating it in Chicago. So with the help of the Chicago Tribune I went back into time last night, and stumbled upon this? So my biggest question is....Where were these mailings placed in the Electra? And why weren't there any photographs of these mailings? Love to hear your feedback...thanks!!!
In the nose baggage compartment.

gl
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: C.W. Herndon on November 15, 2012, 02:30:43 AM
Hi! As many of you are aware, I have been doing alot of extensive research in the famed freckle ointment jar found on the island. It has gotten so interesting and addictive that I have set a new course for my venture of locating it in Chicago. So with the help of the Chicago Tribune I went back into time last night, and stumbled upon this? So my biggest question is....Where were these mailings placed in the Electra? And why weren't there any photographs of these mailings? Love to hear your feedback...thanks!!!

There are copies of other flight cover pictures in the Purdue University AE earchives collection. I have attached two of them.

Picture 1 below is of AE autographing some of the special postal covers for the first flight.  (http://earchives.lib.purdue.edu/u?/earhart,391) The caption for the picture indicates it was made in February 1937 which would indicate for the first attempt.

Picture 2 below is of some of the flight covers being loaded into the Electra.  (http://earchives.lib.purdue.edu/u?/earhart,392) The radio antenna configuration on the bottom of the Electra indicates this was also for the first flight attempt.
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Tom Swearengen on November 15, 2012, 05:04:56 AM
Hum---thats interesting. Wonder if any of these were actually on the Lae to Howland leg. Yeah, one way or the other they would be wet, unless they were wrapped in something water proof. (?) Message in a bottle anyone? Or how about an envelope with her stamp on it found somewhere, OTHER than in the electra?
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Bill Roe on November 15, 2012, 05:33:55 AM
Or how about an envelope with her stamp on it found somewhere, OTHER than in the electra?

Would that be an air mail stamp, per chance?
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Tom Swearengen on November 15, 2012, 05:47:57 AM
Ok I'm crazy. But you already knew that. But what if AE wanted to leave a marker, something that could positively prove she was somewhere. Not a pocket knife, or a freckle jar. But an envelope, that had a stamp of her, with the around the word stamp, that was one of a few known to have been on the flight. And one of these is found, on an island, with maybe some other things. That 'could' possibly show that she was there.
yeah I know---crazy. But--
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Tom Swearengen on November 15, 2012, 06:43:53 AM
LOL--Chris---just thinking (as Ric is rolling this eyes--here we go again!!!!)
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Randy Conrad on November 17, 2012, 06:20:56 AM
In regards to this topic and those of you who have posted...I have a question...on Amelia's second attempt at the World Flight...She is always holding an envelope in her hand or in her shirt pocket. Does anyone know if these are the flight covers she is personally mailing. Also, when I was doing research the other night on this topic I learned that the postal service did not give Amelia their blessing on this matter. Apparently, she was not an official postal worker!
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Bruce Thomas on November 17, 2012, 02:38:16 PM
In regards to this topic and those of you who have posted...I have a question...on Amelia's second attempt at the World Flight...She is always holding an envelope in her hand or in her shirt pocket. Does anyone know if these are the flight covers she is personally mailing. Also, when I was doing research the other night on this topic I learned that the postal service did not give Amelia their blessing on this matter. Apparently, she was not an official postal worker!

Check out the entry on page 68 of the notes in the Jacobson Database (http://tighar.org/Publications/Books/FindingAmeliaNotes/JacobsonDatabase/RADIOMES/MSG4.PDF).  That's where you'll find the reference about the postal service not giving AE their blessing as a mail carrier.
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Gary LaPook on November 17, 2012, 11:29:30 PM
Ok I'm crazy. But you already knew that. But what if AE wanted to leave a marker, something that could positively prove she was somewhere. Not a pocket knife, or a freckle jar. But an envelope, that had a stamp of her, with the around the word stamp, that was one of a few known to have been on the flight. And one of these is found, on an island, with maybe some other things. That 'could' possibly show that she was there.
yeah I know---crazy. But--
Seems she could have left a us "paper trail."

gl
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Ric Gillespie on November 18, 2012, 08:30:35 AM
Seems she could have left a us "paper trail."

Pure speculation, but it does seem like it would be in keeping with AE's character to want to leave some kind of record of her presence, if not a detailed journal of her experience as a castaway.  The question, of course, is what medium could she possibly use and how might she have attempted to provide for its survival?  ---but that should be a different thread.
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Randy Conrad on November 18, 2012, 07:38:43 PM
Ric, in response to your post..is it possible that she indeed do this? I know growing up that we used to bury things below a certain tree that we liked and 20 years later and went back and there it was. If Amelia and Fred did land the Electra on Niku and had ample time to get things out of the plane. I'd think she would remove these from the nose compartment first. As some have said that she may have indeed used these for fire purposes over time. But, I believe that there is a journal or log of her time there. Especially, along with several flight covers she would have sent on later after her death. I believe, if this is the case...then the tree where you found all the fish bones and etc would be a place where she most likely would bury this for a future find. If not there, then someplace close that would indicate a marker or pile of rocks. Somewhere, that would be noticeable and easy to access...So my question for all those of you who "have" been to the island...did you notice anything that looked out of the ordinary. Something, that Amelia wanted to draw attention to and that someone would find the items she left behind! Anyway, this is a good topic to discuss!
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Ric Gillespie on November 18, 2012, 08:03:22 PM
So my question for all those of you who "have" been to the island...did you notice anything that looked out of the ordinary. Something, that Amelia wanted to draw attention to and that someone would find the items she left behind!

Give us a little bit of credit.

Anyway, this is a good topic to discuss!

This thread is about the commemorative covers.  If you want to speculate about buried journals, etc. you'll need to start a new thread.
Title: Re: $25,000 FAN MAIL
Post by: Randy Conrad on November 18, 2012, 08:07:14 PM
Credit? I know you all have done a wonderful job!