Amelia Earhart - 17 March, 1937

Noel Luneau
Squadron Commander
Amelia Earhart Senior Squadron 188
California Wing

Amelia Earhart and her crew pose in front of the
1936 Electra 10E Special.
Left to right, Paul Mantz, co-pilot; Amelia Earhart, pilot;
Captain Harry V. Manning, radio operator/navigator;
and Captain Frederick J. Noonan, also a navigator,

On this St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1937, Amelia Earhart, Captain Harry Manning, Captain Frederick Noonan, and Paul Mantz departed Oakland Airport and bound for Honolulu.  This was to be the first leg on their round-the-world-flight.

The previous night, Amelia Earhart stayed at the Oakland Airport Terminal and Hotel, the present day home of Amelia Earhart Senior Squadron 188 - Civil Air Patrol.

In addition to Earhart and Noonan, Harry Manning and Mantz (who was acting as Earhart's technical advisor) were on board. Due to lubrication and galling problems with the propeller hubs' variable pitch mechanisms, the aircraft needed servicing in Hawaii. The Electra ended up at the United States Navy's Luke Field on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor for repairs. Three days later, the flight resumed from Luke Field with Earhart, Noonan and Manning on board. During the takeoff run, Earhart ground-looped the Electra, in circumstances that remain controversial.

With the aircraft severely damaged, the flight was called off and the aircraft was shipped by sea to the Lockheed Burbank facility for repairs.

Stay tuned with "The Logbook" for Amelia's second attempt at an around-the-world-flight.

The planned flight route.

For more information see the following Websites:
1. This Day in Aviation
2. The official website of Amelia Earhart
3. Wikipedia - Amelia Earhart