Greetings, this is my first post here. I hope this is the right place for my question and since it seems to be unique, I hope it is welcome. I got sidetracked from my usual South Pacific WW2 studies and got sucked into the Amelia Aerhart story about 2 weeks ago. I came upon a problem that I can not get away from and it leads me hither and thither. I hope you can help me get re-oriented.
Here is my question: does anyone know where I can find more solid evidence that there was ever an airstrip on Howland Island? I find it difficult to believe that the airstrip would be so completely unidentifiable in satellite photography and there is so little (none?) photographic evidence for the airstrip. Also with all the photographers and newsmen aboard the Itasca, I would think that their would be photos of the island, the airstrip, preparations, personnel and pictures of the Itasca from the island and vice versa.
What I do read is that there is no record of a plane ever having landed on Howland. I find it hard to believe that she would be expected to land and take off from such a primitive strip that had never been used. The strip is said to have run north south, while winds were commonly out of the east an 20 knots.
Does any of this raise questions with you? Are there pictures or other evidence that I have missed?
Thanks in advance for your replies.
By: wieesso - 10th November 2016 at 20:45
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2053.html
“Howland Island: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN….the airstrip is no longer serviceable”
By: John Green - 10th November 2016 at 17:52
I think I’d start with whichever nations jurisdiction Howland Island came under. Once you’ve got that, archive – if one is maintained – enquiries, might yield useful information.
Sign In
November 10, 2016 at 5:41 pm