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[Steve Lyle Gunderson]

I went back to my old home town (Lancaster Calif.) last fall and visited some of the local attractions. One being the 'Milestones of Flight Museum'.
During the walk thru I noticed a picture on the wall. Actually its a drawing of a 'Texan' Tri-motor refueling what looks like an Electra, air-to-air. The drawing is signed (Ted Groh) and looks to be dated (5-'37). Attached is the best picture I have of it. My apologies, I should have taken more time to get a better, in focus picture. If there is interest, the museum may be able to provide a better photo of the drawing.
When I saw the drawing I was reminded of something I had read a year or two ago regarding Amelia asking the Navy if she could be refueled in the air somewhere near Guam if she chose to fly that route on the around the world attempt. Can't find the reference now, maybe it was my imagination?

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

From Ric four years ago:

"It's all documented in Finding Amelia and it had nothing to do with 'war preparations.'  AE's buddy Eugene Vidal, director of the Bureau of Air Commerce, was looking for some way to validate his American Equatorial Islands (Howland, Baker & Jarvis) as refueling stops for transpacific commercial air traffic to Australia and New Zealand. The Coast Guard was already re-provisioning the "colonists" (Hawaiian high school kids) who were occupying the islands to establish U.S. sovereignty.  Earhart needed a practical alternative to her hare-brained plan of flying nonstop from Honolulu to Tokyo with mid-air refueling from a Navy PBY over Midway.  Scratching out an airfield on Howland for Earhart to use solved both problems."

[Steve Lyle Gunderson]

That's it, chapter 1, page 7 in  my book. Thank you sir.