Amelia Earhart's Early Life
Amelia Mary Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas on July 24, 1897. She was the first child of Edwin Stanton Earhart and Amy Otis Earhart. Amelia’s sister, Grace Muriel Earhart, was born two years later.
Earhart was an accomplished aviator, setting numerous records in her flying career. She helped pave the way for female pilots to come, and was the first president of the Ninety-Nines: International Organization of Women Pilots.
Developing an Interest in Aviation
Earhart’s interest in aviation began at an early age. When she was just ten years old, she saw her first airplane at the Iowa State Fair. Four years later, she took her first airplane ride in an open-seat, prop-driven biplane at the Davenport Municipal Airport. After that experience, she knew she what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She wanted to fly.
In 1932, she became the first woman to ever fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The next year, she became the first person to fly solo from Mexico to New York.
Chasing The Ultimate Record
In 1937, Amelia Earhart set out on her most adventurous and ambitious flying project yet – a circumnavigation of the globe. She and Fred Noonan, her navigator, began their mission from Miami, Florida, on June 1st.
They made it as far as Howland Island in the central Pacific Ocean before disappearing around July 5th. Despite an extensive search, no trace of Earhart or her plane was ever found. Thus begins the mystery and wild theories surrounding what went wrong.
Her Disappearance
There are many theories surrounding Amelia Earhart’s mysterious disappearance. The most popular theory is that their plane ran out of fuel and crash-landed in the central Pacific Ocean.
Another theory suggests that Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan were captured by the Japanese and held as prisoners of war. While this may seen like improbable, conspiracies have arisen with evidence that Earhart might have been a spy.
The Castaway Theory
Many believe that Earhart and Noonan became lost, ran out of fuel, and crashed, yet survived on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean. This theory gained traction after several pieces of “potential evidence” were found on Nikumaroro Island, including a shoe sole, part of a sextant box, and a bottle of Freon.
Earhart’s Electra plane was also equipped with a radio, and it is possible that she and Noonan were able to send out distress signals after crash-landing. However, there is no definitive proof that this is what happened, and the castaway theory remains mostly speculation.
The Crash and Sink Theory
Some Earhart researchers believe that she and Noonan did not crash on Nikumaroro Island at all but rather crashed into the ocean and sank. This theory is supported by the fact that Earhart’s last radio transmission indicated she was low on fuel and getting close to Howland Island, but no wreckage was ever found there.
There is no evidence that she or Noonan were able to send out any distress signals. This would make sense if their plane crashed and quickly sunk. It is possible that their bodies were never found because they were swept away by strong currents or eaten by sharks.
Taken By the Japanese Theory
Some people believe that Amelia Earhart was captured by the Japanese and taken to the Marshall Islands, where she was held prisoner or executed. This theory is based on the fact that Earhart’s plane disappeared in an area of the Pacific that was controlled by the Japanese during the Second Global Conflict.
There is no concrete evidence to support this theory, and it is generally considered to be unlikely. Amelia Earhart was a well-known figure in the United States, and it is unlikely that the Japanese would have been able to keep her capture a secret for long.
A New Life?
Wouldn’t an experienced aviator who spent extensive time planning this record-setting trip have planned out her fuel stops effectively ahead of time? Or how come no evidence has been found to prove one theory over another?
There are many questions still surrounding this mystery. Some believe Amelia and Fred might have disappeared on purpose to a remote island to start new lives. The likelihood of this is low, but the theories are endless. Take a look at the image above, and you be the judge.
One of the Greatest Mysteries of the 20th Century
Nearly 80 years after she vanished, Amelia Earhart’s disappearance remains one of the most enduring mysteries of the 20th century. Although there is no definitive proof of what happened to her, the most likely scenario is that she crash-landed into the ocean and perished.
Her legacy, however, continues to inspire people all over the world who dream of adventure and pushing the boundaries of human achievement. She is without a doubt an inspiration to aviators, females, and adventurers in general as she achieved success other could only dream of.