Searching for Amelia

On July 2, 1937, famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart went missing during an attempt at a round-the-world flight along with her navigator, Fred Noonan. Following the report of her disappearance, U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels, including the aircraft carrier USS Lexington, assisted in search operations. These efforts are detailed in the “U.S. Navy Report of the Search for Amelia Earhart, July 2-18, 1937?.

While the details around Amelia Earhart’s disappearance remain a mystery, researchers recently found this photograph within the holdings of the National Archives which they believe shows Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan alive on a dock in the Marshall Islands after their disappearance over the Pacific Ocean.

PL-Marshall Islands, Jaluit Atoll, Jaluit Island. ONI #14381. Jaluit Harbor. National Archives Identifier 68141661

There is much to learn about Amelia Earhart in the resources and records held at the National Archives. For example, a search in our Catalog reveals photographs of Earhart, documents related to the search of her missing aircraft, as well as a letter she wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt before her flight, asking for help coordinating with the Navy to refuel her plane in air over Midway Island. You can also learn more about the radio log of the last communications with Earhart on our Text Message blog.

View more National Archives resources related to Amelia Earhart on archives.gov.

While we may never know the complete story of what happened to Amelia Earhart during her fateful flight 80 years ago, this photograph is just one example of the many fascinating finds uncovered by researchers at the National Archives on a regular basis. Among the billions of records held at the National Archives, there is always something new to discover. What will you uncover in your research?

5 thoughts on “Searching for Amelia

  1. We watched the documentary last night. I was pleased that they credited the sources of the documents they used to support their position.

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