Japanese capture theories

[Gerry M. Bruder]

Hi! I'm a new member. I'm also inexperienced in using forums, so please excuse me if this question has been addressed elsewhere before. I'm curious to know how TIGHAR responds to the fact that dozens of elderly residents in the Marshall Islands told Fred Goerner and other researchers that they remembered seeing a caucasian female pilot and a male companion in the custody of Japanese soldiers there in the summer of 1937. These reports seem too numerous to have been contrived or part of some conspiracy. Who else but Earhart and Noonan could the two aviators have been? TIGHAR's theory is reasonable and fascinating, but it's undermined by the apparent credibility of a Marshall Islands crash landing. Any comments? Thanks.

Gerry Bruder

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

Hi! I'm a new member. I'm also inexperienced in using forums, so please excuse me if this question has been addressed elsewhere before.

I've moved your post out of the Chatterbox into the Amelia Search Forum / General Discussion because it is a topic that other people might want to talk about.

I'm curious to know how TIGHAR responds to the fact that dozens of elderly residents in the Marshall Islands told Fred Goerner and other researchers that they remembered seeing a caucasian female pilot and a male companion in the custody of Japanese soldiers there in the summer of 1937. These reports seem too numerous to have been contrived or part of some conspiracy. Who else but Earhart and Noonan could the two aviators have been? TIGHAR's theory is reasonable and fascinating, but it's undermined by the apparent credibility of a Marshall Islands crash landing. Any comments?

I've tried to outline the alternative theories that, if established, would make the Niku Hypothesis untenable.

I would say that those who claim to have seen AE and FN in captivity were suffering from Helpful Witness Syndrome.  They are undoubtedly persuaded of the truth of their own testimony and would pass lie-detector tests because they are not lying; but the fact that they are reporting what they sincerely and personally believe to be true does not mean that their judgment was correct that the person whom they saw was AE or FN.  Those are two separate issues.  I myself had said things that I was sure were true at the time I said them but have subsequently found out that I was wrong. (Note well: those are the three hardest words for a man to say.  I offer lessons in Remedial Man Talk for those who have not yet learned how to say those words.)  I don't have any trouble doubting the sincere and heartfelt testimony of dozens, if not hundreds, of Helpful Witnesses from any number of Pacific Islands.

[Chris Johnson]

For me the biggest argument against this theory is the lack of official written evidence.  You only have to look at the communications between Gardner and the PISS to see that some form of written evidence should be avaialble (thats not to say it isn't and just hasn't been found).

Someone would have sent a telegram, radio message, offical memo or even letter home to the fact thant we have AE/FN in captivity.  Then because its 1937 and not WW2 you would expect an official memo from above for the execution of said prisoners.

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

For me the biggest argument against this theory is the lack of official written evidence.  ...

But that's the greatest strength of any conspiracy theory whatsoever.

The less evidence there is of a coverup, the greater evidence that very absence of evidence provides about the power wielded by the conspirators!   8)

[Ashley Such]

For me the biggest argument against this theory is the lack of official written evidence.

I agree to this. Not only that, but the fact that so many people claimed to have seen AE/FN. How can dozens of witnesses they saw the two fliers at many places? Doesn't make sense.

[Alfred Hendrickson]

We have a major conspiracy unfolding right here, Marty! Gerry Bruder claims to be a newbie, and his post count reads 1. But (and here is the conspiracy part) his title is "Administrator", JUST LIKE YOURS! What are you guys trying to pull here? Hmmm?

[Chris Johnson]

For me the biggest argument against this theory is the lack of official written evidence.  ...

But that's the greatest strength of any conspiracy theory whatsoever.

The less evidence there is of a coverup, the greater evidence that very absence of evidence provides about the power wielded by the conspirators!   8)

Ah yes the big coverup by the men in black!!

[Chris Johnson]

We have a major conspiracy unfolding right here, Marty! Gerry Bruder claims to be a newbie, and his post count reads 1. But (and here is the conspiracy part) his title is "Administrator", JUST LIKE YOURS! What are you guys trying to pull here? Hmmm?

Quite, phone mulder and scully

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

We have a major conspiracy unfolding right here, Marty! Gerry Bruder claims to be a newbie, and his post count reads 1. But (and here is the conspiracy part) his title is "Administrator", JUST LIKE YOURS! What are you guys trying to pull here? Hmmm?

You had that title, too, for the first day you were on the Forum.  You just weren't paying attention.   :P

I knew I had something wrong in the setup and have been meaning to fix it for months and months.  I had misinterpreted a question in the JFusion SMF module so that new users were made Forum administrators.  I think I have undone that now, but it will take a little time to verify the fix.

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

Ah yes the big coverup by the men in black!!

[Chris Johnson]

A DJ as well!!!

[Bruce Thomas]

Buffalo Rose!

[Chris Johnson]

back to the topic:

1. why would the US send AE/FN on a spying mission without some form of training and equipment to boot (+ an audit trail of official documents)

2. IF they had been 'intercepted' by the Japaness as either 1. offical spys  or 2 lost flyers had the japs a. not screemed SPY ot b. not cried 'we've found them'?

It is my beflief that even though some very nasty stuff was happening in China that relations with rhe USA were at least neutral.

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

Buffalo Rose!

Sorry!  I left off the caption, which is, of course, "All your base are belong to us."

[Ashley Such]

1. why would the US send AE/FN on a spying mission without some form of training and equipment to boot (+ an audit trail of official documents)

Bingo. I think a lot of people believe the spy theory also because that AE and her husband talked to the government, or something like that. If they did, I'm sure it was no more than what to do if she were to get lost.