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Author Topic: Discovery Channel Show  (Read 134377 times)

Don Dollinger

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #75 on: December 10, 2010, 07:58:38 AM »

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Seems to me that in addition to the aircraft, the best direct evidence, that is somewhere on Niku are the bones of Fred Noonan. If the bones discovered by Gallagher were indeed AE then Fred probably predeceased her and he is somewhere on that island. Locate those bones and with DNA, you should make your case.

Plz correct me if I am wrong, but I believe I read somewhere that TIGHAR could find no living heirs to Fred Noonan, thus no DNA sample available for him.

LTM

Don
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #76 on: December 10, 2010, 09:53:04 AM »

Plz correct me if I am wrong, but I believe I read somewhere that TIGHAR could find no living heirs to Fred Noonan, thus no DNA sample available for him.

That is correct. We need a living relative in the female line.  So far our efforts to find such a person, including extensive work by a professional genealogist, have hit a dead end.
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Don Dollinger

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #77 on: December 10, 2010, 11:16:58 AM »

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That is correct. We need a living relative in the female line.  So far our efforts to find such a person, including extensive work by a professional genealogist, have hit a dead end.

Although, if found and ID'ed as a male of European descent and approximating his height it would add to the growing list of highly probable circumstancial evidence that TIGHAR has collected to show that they were there.  But, naysayers can always claim that they are from the S.S. Norwich City so still no smoking gun. 

BTW:  What did they do with the S.S. Norwich City crewmember bodies that they did recover?  Did they bury them on Niko?  Did they recover all of them?  Have read the accounts sometime back but don't specifically remember if those issues were covered.

Thanx

LTM

Don
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #78 on: December 10, 2010, 12:01:09 PM »

What did they do with the S.S. Norwich City crewmember bodies that they did recover?

They were buried in the beach onshore from where the ship went aground.  If they were later uncovered by storm action they may be the bones that Emily Sikuli described as having been found on that part of the island in 1940 or '41.
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Bill Lloyd

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #79 on: December 10, 2010, 05:42:37 PM »

Plz correct me if I am wrong, but I believe I read somewhere that TIGHAR could find no living heirs to Fred Noonan, thus no DNA sample available for him.

That is correct. We need a living relative in the female line.  So far our efforts to find such a person, including extensive work by a professional genealogist, have hit a dead end.
Therefore, the assertion by a Dr Colleen Fitzpatrick is inaccurate?
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #80 on: December 11, 2010, 04:37:12 AM »

Yes, I'm afraid so.  Colleen took a wrong turn.  Easy to do.  It's a complicated line.
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Bruce Thomas

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #81 on: December 11, 2010, 03:49:14 PM »

Last month, when the broadcast date was changed to December 11, Andrew wrote
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Looks like the Discovery show has been moved to Dec 11th so as to not compete with Monday Night Football in the USA.  Saturday night is usually not a great time to be on air, but it is probably better than going head to head with MNF.
Monday Night Football doesn't hold a candle to the Heisman Trophy presentation, alas.  From the frying pan into the fire!  It's fortunate the Discovery Channel is rebroadcasting the Niku story at 11 p.m.!  War Eagle!

Bruce
LTM,

Bruce
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Tom Swearengen

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #82 on: December 11, 2010, 08:23:52 PM »

My congradulations to Ric, and TIGHAR for their work. But, the Discovery program, although informative, still doesnt quite seal the deal for me, even though I can't imagine any other outcome. AE and Fred obviously were on Niku at some point. Whether you find DNA, or other bones, or parts of the Electra off the reef shelf, you still have a theory, and a great one at that. I guess I'm just looking for Electra parts that can be identified, with no doubt that it was her plane. Probably not in my lifetime, but I know that you will keep searching. This is one of those stories of history that will get passed from generation to generation.

After watching the program, and seeing the the dramatisation of the Electra landing on the reef north of the Norwich City, I am convinced that "Nessie" was part of the landing gear, stuck in the reef. I think that the Electra, even though it may have been torn apart, is in the deep water off the reef. I think that it may be intact enough to see at least the fuselege and one wing intact, with NR16020 on it. It's in deep enough water as to not be affected by strong currents. Once it slid down the slope, it came to rest on the sandy bottom, just waiting to be found.

Fom my standpoint, and I suspect that of others, finding positive proof of the Electra will tell us that Amelia was definately on Niku, whether any other evidence of her exists. It is my hope that Ric, and TIGHAR will go back to Niku, and keep trying. I'm sure that other corporate sponsors will come one board, after seeing the Discovery program. Dont give up---you are on the right track. Thanks for allowing me to be a very small part of history.
Tom
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Rick Anthony

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #83 on: December 11, 2010, 10:58:24 PM »

The Discovery Channel documentary was quite well done.  I was relieved to see they didn't waste time and confuse the public by mentioning any of the more outrageous, and long disproven theories. It pretty well described the process that brought about the current theory of what happened to Amelia and Fred. That process is a pretty fascinating story in itself.
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Ashley Such

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #84 on: December 11, 2010, 11:23:15 PM »

I must say: This documentary was really interesting! The dramatizations were excellent, too (very intriguing)! I know each and every one of you members have worked hard over the years, and I'm very proud of you all. :)

Best of luck to you, Ric, and the rest of TIGHAR of the next expedition with the underwater research!
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Bill Mangus

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #85 on: December 12, 2010, 02:40:54 PM »

Great program, especially enjoyed the videography.  I watched it in HD and the video from the 2010 expedition was good enough to make you think you were there!

I was a bit suprised more wasn't made of the "cloth bow or knot"  Seems like this would be easy to pick apart and compare with what AE/FN were wearing (fabric, color, weave, etc.) when they climbed aboard in Lae, although the photograph made it look more like the knot tied in the top of a gunny sack.  Ask any surviving coasties if they used things like that when they visited the site?

If it is a piece of clothing, might it retain DNA from the wearer?
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William P Baldauf

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #86 on: December 12, 2010, 03:10:00 PM »

I thought the Discovery Channel documentary was extremely well done and persuasive.

The only lingering issue that I was having trouble resolving in my head was the seeming discrepancy between the former islanders who recalled an "airplane" north of the Norwich City & the photograph that showed only "nessie" surviving from the wreckage three months later.  If all that survived of the wreckage was "nessie" when Niku was colonized, would the natives have known that this came from an airplane?  Maybe, but it's also conceivable that if they have limited knowledge of what an airplane even is, perhaps they would have just assumed that somehow it came from the Norwich City.
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #87 on: December 12, 2010, 05:41:11 PM »

Emily Sikuli (the old woman in Fiji) did not remember an intact airplane.  Her father pointed out wreckage that he told her was from an airplane.  For the full report see The Carpenter's Daughter.
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Don Dollinger

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #88 on: December 13, 2010, 08:35:20 AM »

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If all that survived of the wreckage was "nessie" when Niku was colonized, would the natives have known that this came from an airplane?


Other clues that would indicate to me that they knew it came from an Airplane are the beached bits of aluminum that had been seen and used and the fact that Gallagher had made the assumption that the bones could be from AE.  What would lead him to that conclusion unless there was other evidence in the equation (i.e., airplane wreck + missing aviators = possibility of identity)

The Discovery show was very well done and should regenerate interest in the mystery.  I love mysteries of missing things, AE, FN, and the Electra; the Lost Dutch Man's Goldmine; the keys to my '55 International Pickup Truck. 

Even without a smoking gun (yet), in my mind I am convinced that AE has been found, now if I could just find them damn keys, I could go look for that goldmine.

LTM

Don
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Ashley Such

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Re: Discovery Channel Show
« Reply #89 on: December 13, 2010, 02:24:51 PM »

Ric,

Didn't you say that there will be DVDs available of this documentary? If so, when?
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