Niku Castway: Sailor or Amelia Earhart? Norwich City Sailors, Long-Bone Lengths

[Kenton E. Spading]

I am preparing to publish a second report further discussing a SS Norwich City sailor as a candidate for the human bones discovered by Gerald Gallagher on Nikumaroro in 1940.  Review: In my 2019 paper, updated in March 2024 linked below, I published, the heights of 5 Norwich City sailors.  Based on height, Richard Jantz determined the lost sailor Saleh Ragee is a good fit for the castaway bones measured by Dr. Hoodless.

Spading's 2019/March 2024 Norwich Sailor-Earhart Paper


Also in March 2024, Richard Jantz was consulted on how best to estimate Ragee's long-bone lengths based on Ragee's known stature/height.  Richard responded with suggestions on how to proceed.  The regression method process he outlined mimics the regression analysis he conducted to estimate the length of Earhart's tibia (lower leg bone) for this February 2018 Amelia Earhart related paper.


As a result, in addition to height, I now have estimates for Ragee's humerus (upper arm), radius (lower arm) and tibia for comparison to the bone lengths measured by Dr. Hoodless.  Recently, I distributed, to selected Earhart researchers, a draft memorandum for the record which outlines the process and regression equations I utilized.  Soon I will request comments from Richard.  At first glance it appears Ragee's long-bones are, in addition to his height, a reasonable fit for the length of the castaway's bones. Jantz's 2018 Amelia Earhart Research

In his Feb. 2018 paper Richard wrote:
 ......human remains were discovered [on Niku] which are entirely consistent with her.... Furthermore, it is impossible to test any other hypothesis, because except for the victims of the Norwich City wreck, about whom we have no data, no other missing persons have been reported....."

Kenton Comments:  I am testing "other hypotheses".  Data on the Norwich City sailors, specifically Saleh Ragee, is growing from first having only his height to now, pending review, obtaining long-bone length estimates.  I have also uncovered other missing persons in this Pacific region.  This fall I will publish a comprehensive report expanding on my earlier work.

Thank you,
Kenton Spading, PE, RGS, FN
KSpading@Comcast.net
651-272-7970

[Simon Ellwood]

Did you publish your report, Kenton?

[Kenton E. Spading]

Simon,
There is a link above to the report.
In case that link did not work, the report is published here:
https://spanalumni.academia.edu/KentonSpading

I am also attaching it here as a PDF.   I recently posted on my Norwich City research also under Alternative Lines of Inquire subject here:

https://tighar.org/smf/index.php?topic=2304.msg45285#msg45285

Thank you
Kenton Spading
KSpading@Comcast.net

[Simon Ellwood]

Thanks Kenton

Sorry - I just assumed the link in the first post was part of the conversation, didn't realise it was the report link.

[Kenton E. Spading]

It is easy to do that.  I appreciate your interest. 
Kenton

[Jon Romig]

Hi Kenton,
In your August post you said "This fall I will publish a comprehensive report expanding on my earlier work." On your recent posts, however, I don't see links or attachments dated in the fall, only to your earlier work linked in August. Are you still working on the comprehensive report, or did you in fact publish it and I somehow missed it?
Thanks,
Jon

[Simon Ellwood]

Hi Kenton,
In your August post you said "This fall I will publish a comprehensive report expanding on my earlier work." On your recent posts, however, I don't see links or attachments dated in the fall, only to your earlier work linked in August. Are you still working on the comprehensive report, or did you in fact publish it and I somehow missed it?
Thanks,
Jon

See my post just above Jon.

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

Spading's 2019/March 2024 Norwich Sailor-Earhart Paper