Strategic

INTRODUCTION

“Cloudy weather, cloudy.”

The Lockheed Electra plane flew through the overcast sky under a blanket of rain, having already traveled more than 22,000 miles of the planned 29,000‐mile journey.

“KHAQQ calling Itasca. We must be on you, but we cannot see you. Fuel is running low. Been unable to reach you by radio. We are flying at 1,000 feet.”

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Itasca was stationed just offshore of Howland Island, a whisper of land 1.5 miles long by .5 miles wide in the South Pacific, approximately 2,000 miles southwest of Hawaii.

“KHAQQ calling Itasca. We received your signals but unable to get a minimum. Please take bearing on us and answer 3105 with voice.”

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Itasca attempted to get a bearing on the transmission and failed.

“KHAQQ to Itasca, we are on the line 157 337, will repeat message, we will repeat this on 6210 KCS. Wait. We are running north and south.”¹

Silence.

The two pilots aboard the aircraft were never heard from again.

Or were they?

A day later in Rock Springs, Wyoming, 16‐year old Dana Randolph was tuned in to a shortwave band of his parent's radio and reported hearing a woman say, “This is Amelia Earhart. Ship on reef south of the equator. Station KHAQQ.”²

The same day in St. Petersburg, Florida, 15‐year‐old Betty Klenck was also tuned into her family's radio shortwave band. She reported hearing a woman, sounding in distress, say, “This is Amelia Earhart.”³

The most extensive air and sea search in naval history, ...