uss lexington search map

[richie conroy]

just come across this on this website http://www.daileyint.com/flying/flyingd.htm




thought might be of some use

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

just come across this on this website http://www.daileyint.com/flying/flyingd.htm

It's a pretty picture, but neither it nor the website add any details to Randy Jacobson's masterful account of the Lexington's search.

The only date information that I can see on the map is 180 - 0 degrees on 14 July 1937 and a total trip time of 4 July to 18 July 1937.  I wonder whether this was a souvenir drawing for sailors who crossed the equator for the first time in their career?  That might help to account for the doodle of the ship's profile--that makes it look like a souvenir to me, rather than a chart meant for serious navigation.  Or perhaps it was produced for the whole crew?  The title "In Search of Amelia Earhart" suggests an eye on history. 

[Don Dollinger]

FWIW, I find it interesting that the author (Frankin E. Dailey Jr.) believes this to be an Official USS Lexington Sea Chart fragment.  Never seen a Sea Chart before so I have not a clue.  Below quoted from website referenced by Richie.

This browned, aged chart almost certainly originated in the Lexington's Navigation Dept. "Pacific Ocean" looks official. It is intelligently detailed. Anyone aware of 20th century aviation history would take immediate notice. I would assess it as a USS Lexington sea chart fragment showing her 1937 transit, in response to orders to find a missing aircraft, the specially configured Electra 10 model, piloted by Amelia Earhart. (A Lockheed Electra 10, and Amelia, are featured, for unrelated reasons, in another of my books, "The Triumph of Instrument Flight: A Retrospective in the Century of U.S. Aviation.")

The short curved segments around Howland Island would represent Lexington's aircraft, launched for intense coverage in a perimeter around the island Earhart was attempting to reach, non-stop, from Lae, 2201 nautical miles away. (First numeral verified on original.) Phillip hand-drew the profile, unmistakably the Lexington. To put dates in context, Amelia's takeoff from Lae was 2 July E. Long.; that would be 1 July in West Longitude.

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

FWIW, I find it interesting that the author (Frankin E. Dailey Jr.) believes this to be an Official USS Lexington Sea Chart fragment.  Never seen a Sea Chart before so I have not a clue.

I have no doubt it is from the navigators.

I doubt that it is "official," in the sense of being used by them for navigating.

It is a summary of the ship's trip, "there and back," with a doodle in the lower right-hand corner.

I doubt that "official" charts had pictures of the ship's profile drawn on them. 

[Irvine John Donald]

just come across this on this website http://www.daileyint.com/flying/flyingd.htm

It's a pretty picture, but neither it nor the website add any details to Randy Jacobson's masterful account of the Lexington's search.

The only date information that I can see on the map is 180 - 0 degrees on 14 July 1937 and a total trip time of 4 July to 18 July 1937.  I wonder whether this was a souvenir drawing for sailors who crossed the equator for the first time in their career?  That might help to account for the doodle of the ship's profile--that makes it look like a souvenir to me, rather than a chart meant for serious navigation.  Or perhaps it was produced for the whole crew?  The title "In Search of Amelia Earhart" suggests an eye on history.

I think Marty is bang on correct. What a great souvenir of the search.

Here is a link to a selection of older nautical maps. Quite a difference. http://www.google.ca/search?q=naval+charts+australia&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari#sclient=tablet-gws&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&source=hp&q=picture+of+a+1935+naval+chart&pbx=1&oq=picture+of+a+1935+naval+chart&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=9760l12597l0l13616l5l5l0l0l0l0l422l1277l0.2.2.0.1l5l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=a5d3a2c5563f73ea&biw=1024&bih=644

[richie conroy]

tell ye what would be good, if Tighar could get someone to create an Amelia Earhart flight simulator app for I phone, so people could get a better feel for the flight an predict what might of happened, charge say £2.99 with the money going to Tighar funds  :)

just an idea, dont know what it would cost to create so dont know if it would be worth it or not,

actully it's wishful thinkin on my side  :o 

[Erik]

It's a pretty picture, but neither it nor the website add any details to Randy Jacobson's masterful account of the Lexington's search.

Are deck logs (like the Colorado) available for the Lexington too?  Either in the book or otherwise.

[Jeff Scott]

Are deck logs (like the Colorado) available for the Lexington too?  Either in the book or otherwise.

This site describes the US Navy deck logs that are available and how they may be obtained. The Lexington would fall under this section:

Held by The National Archives

Deck logs of commissioned U.S. Navy ships from the earliest times through 1940 are in the Old Military and Civil Branch, National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20408 [Telephone (202) 501-5385,web-site http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/washington/]. Logs from 1941 through those that are 30 years old or older are in the Modern Military Branch, National Archives, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park MD 20740-6001 [Telephone (301) 837-3510]. These logs are open for research. Requests for research appointments, and inquiries concerning log information, should go to the National Archives office holding logs from the time period of interest.

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

It's a pretty picture, but neither it nor the website add any details to Randy Jacobson's masterful account of the Lexington's search.

Are deck logs (like the Colorado) available for the Lexington too?  Either in the book or otherwise.

1. Here is a page that lists 13 methods by which you can see if you can find answers yourself.  It's not that hard.  I put "lexington logs" in the search box.  The link below was the third on the results page.

2. Here is a .pdf transcription by the indefatigable Jacobson.

[Erik]

It's a pretty picture, but neither it nor the website add any details to Randy Jacobson's masterful account of the Lexington's search.

Are deck logs (like the Colorado) available for the Lexington too?  Either in the book or otherwise.

1. Here is a page that lists 13 methods by which you can see if you can find answers yourself.  It's not that hard.  I put "lexington logs" in the search box.  The link below was the third on the results page.

2. Here is a .pdf transcription by the indefatigable Jacobson.

Thanks.  That works.  For some reason I didn't get the same hits you did with the search engine.  Perhaps a google algorithim.

Searching more, I also found this map created by TIGHAR.  I hadn't seen this visualisation before.  Wow.

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

Thanks.  That works.  For some reason I didn't get the same hits you did with the search engine.  Perhaps a google algorithim.

OK.  Stuff happens.

Searching more, I also found this map created by TIGHAR.  I hadn't seen this visualisation before.  Wow.

I don't remember seeing that before.  It is definitely a thing of beauty!

[richie conroy]

http://www.oceandots.com/gmv.php?lat=-4.675&long=-174.525&place=Nikumaroro

check this out good for close view ov niku

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

http://www.oceandots.com/gmv.php?lat=-4.675&long=-174.525&place=Nikumaroro

Download and install Google Earth on your computer.  That's where that image came from.

[richie conroy]

i have google earth the link is to a high resolution image 

[richie conroy]

also they really must off thought she went down north of howland