Anne Holtgren Pellegrino

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In 1967, Pelegrino and her navigator, William L. Polhemus, followed Earhart's route for the second round-the-world flight in a Lockheed 10-A.

The story of their flight is told in World Flight: The Amelia Trail (The Iowa State University Press, 1971).

"Polhemus took frequent star fixes while Pellegreno held the Lockheed on course; shortly after noon he estimated their position as approximately 700 miles west of Howland. As time passed, they flew on through scattered showers. At dawn, they crossed the international date line and began to watch for the tiny island that had been Earhart and Noonan's destination years before. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Blackhaw was supposed to be positioned offshore, listening for their call. When Polhemus's shots showed they were about 60 miles from Howland, Pellegreno bagan trying to raise Blackhaw, with no success. Rain squalls had developed and were coming closer together. As the ceiling lowered, Pellegreno, afraid they would miss the island in the poor visibility, took the plane down to 300 feet. She asked Blackhaw, now 37 nautical miles southwest of Howland, for radio direction. Concerned, Polhemus gave several heading changes. Everyone strained to see the island. The Lockheed flew between showers, but only the sea was visible. "We have about 20 minutes more to search," Polhemus warned; "then we'll have to go on."

"It was Koepke who spotted Howland first. There, to their left, was the tiny island—only a half-mile wide and two miles long--with a red-and-white tower housing the Earhart Beacon. Nearby was the foundation of a building" (Round the World Flights by Carroll V. Glines).

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