We rarely see anything about Fred Noonan in the establishment media, or any media for that matter, as publicity fanatic George Putnam made sure that his wife, Amelia Earhart, got most if not all of the round-the-world-flight press.  We do what we can on this blog to share all the Noonan-related information we have with our readers, and today is such an infrequent occasion. 

FRED NOONAN — The Forgotten Navigator appeared in the February 1996 edition of the Amelia Earhart Society Newsletters, and originally appeared in the International Women’s Air & Space Museum Quarterly, Volume IX, Issue 3, 1995.  Here we see a few of Noonan’s previously unpublished letters to Helen Day Bible, written during the 1937 world flight; the introduction was written by Winifred Wood, author of We Were WASPs (1978).  Boldface emphasis mine throughout; ellipses and dashes unchanged from AES version.

FRED NOONAN — The Forgotten Navigator

Much has been written about Amelia Earhart, but little has been written of Fred Noonan, aviation pioneer and transoceanic navigator.  Recently three letters, written by Noonan on that round-the-world attempt, came to light. The woman who received them, Helen Day Bible of Miami, said, “He was gallant,” emphasizing the last syllable, “always soft spoken and so polite.”

Helen said, “Fred Noonan came to Miami as General Manager for NYRBA, New York-Rio-Buenos Aires.  I was about 16.  A friend and I had dates with two fellows who drove up in a beauty of a Chrysler.  We were impressed, thinking it was theirs.  But, it belonged to Fred Noonan and he was driving.”  The friendship that started that night continued while Noonan was in Miami.  “NYRBA sold out to Pan American and Noonan stayed on.  An excellent navigator, he set up their early routes throughout the Caribbean.”

Fred Noonan at Bandoeng Java, June 1937.

Pan Am transferred Noonan west to help plan Pacific routes.  Helen lost touch with him, but when he returned to Miami to depart on the fatal flight, he asked her to have dinner.  “I went to the Hotel Columbus where the party was staying.  Reporters were in the lobby, but I was the only one allowed out of the elevator on Earhart’s floor.”

Before she and Noonan left for dinner, Earhart invited Helen to have breakfast with them the next morning before takeoff.  “That was how I came to be there to help push the plane out of the hangar.  I picked Fred up about 3:30 and we followed the Earhart car.  After breakfast, when we got to the airport, no one was there but Bo McNeeley, Miss Earhart’s mechanic.  We — McNeeley, Earhart, Noonan, George Putnam and his son, David, and I — pushed the plane out of the hangar.” — The following are excerpts from letters written by Noonan:

(1) From Fortaleza, Brazil: 5 June 1937 —

Dear Helen, We are well on our way, but I know the most enjoyable part of the flight is behind us.  I cannot express the pleasure I found on the few hours you so kindly devoted to me …

     We have enjoyed a pleasant and uneventful trip so far – it was particularly interesting to me because rather than fly the established trade routes we flew the most direct routes from Caripito, Venezuela to Paramaribo, Dutch Guyana, and from there to Fortaleza.  Those routes took us across hundreds of miles of unexplored dense virgin jungles.  Nothing visible but solid carpets of tree tops, with frequent wide winding rivers cutting through them … over the Orinoco River we encountered a few heavy tropical downpours, but were able to circumvent them by flying around the cloud formations, or going upstairs over them.  It was interesting because of the lack of recognizable landmarks – a jungle is as equally devoid of distinguishable markings as an ocean …. several times we had to rely upon celestial navigation to ascertain our position.

     We are leaving in the morning for Natal – only 270 miles distant – and will take off from there for Dakar, Africa just as soon as weather permits.  I wish to again express my pleasure at having seen you again – and to hope I will be equally as fortunate in the not distant future.  Oh yes – while we were in the cockpit waiting to take off from Miami both Amelia and her husband paid you nice compliments – he said you were a mighty nice girl and Amelia said – “Yes, mighty attractive, and beautiful with it.”  I’m glad they could appreciate such obvious facts.  Will drop a line from some place along the route. — Kind regards, Fred

No caption accompanied this photo, but it was placed next to Noonan’s letter from Bandoeng, Java, and his shirt appears to be the same as in the photo above, identified as taken in Java.

(2) From Bandoeng, Java: 22 June 1937 — Dear Helen, It is strange how sometimes thoughts of one person will run through one’s mind all day… And so I decided to write you … We arrived here yesterday from Singapore – and as some minor instrument adjustments were necessary we decided to remain an additional day … Tomorrow we jump off for Surabaya, or possibly as far as Kupang. Since last writing we have visited many out of the way and little known places, but by far the most enjoyable experiences were the charming people we have met.  Since arriving in Africa we have been the guests of the Governors of Senegal, French West Africa; of French Sudan, and British, or Anglo Egyptian Sudan – Standard Oil people in Karachi and Calcutta – also in Akyab, Burma; the American consul in Rangoon, and the American Consul General in Singapore; of the Army in Massawa and Assab, Italian Eritrea, Africa.  In all places our hosts were most charming and hospitable.  In some places we had amusing times because of linguistic difficulties.  However, because of Amelia’s smattering of French and German and my slight knowledge of Spanish and Portuguese we made ourselves understood by the French and Italians. In some places – such as Port Lamy in the French Sudan, and in Massawa and Assab, Eritrea, not a soul could speak English.  But we had a glorious time despite our difficulties coming across Africa – particularly near Timbuktu – it was so hot we slept on the open desert at night – and like it immensely. . . . With favorable weather we should be back in the States within ten days more or less – perhaps long before you receive this letter.  I shall look forward to a letter from you after our return and I am hoping I will not be disappointed . ….  Sincerely, Fred

(3) From Koepang, Timor Island, Dutch East Indies: 27 June 1937 —
Dear Helen, If you are living the normal, like a nice young girl should live, you are in the deepest of slumbers now … it is a quarter to six Sunday evening here in this out of the way comer of the earth, and it is a quarter of five Monday morning in Ye Little Woods.  We arrived here about noon from Surabaya, Java, with intention of going on to Port Darwin, Australia, but upon arrival received a weather report indicating headwinds of about 40 miles per hour lay ahead of us.  As Port Darwin time is two hours ahead of local time … we decided not to risk landing at a strange airport after darkness had fallen.

View of group posed in front of Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Model 10-E Electra (NR16020) at Lae, New Guinea, July 1937, just before the fliers’ July 2 departure from Lae.  From left to right are Eric Chater (Manager, Guinea Airways), Mrs. Chater, Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan.

… We spent considerably more time in Java than we expected to – had some minor, but important, instrument adjustments to be made, and as the Dutch Line is using the new DC 3 Douglas – equipped with similar instruments – we decided to have the work done in their shops at Bandoeng … Took off once and got as far as Surabaya – about 350 miles – only to have the instruments fail again – so returned to Bandoeng.  They are functioning perfectly now, thank goodness to the Dutch mechanics.  So tomorrow we hope to take off for Port Darwin – the next day for Lae, New Guinea, and then the three overwater hops – Howland Island – 2,600 miles – Honolulu – 1,800 – and Oakland – 2,410.

     We had a most enjoyable time in Java – visited a volcano – made a trip to the capitol – Batavia, where we were entertained by friends of mine and the American Consul General and made several sight-seeing trips to nearer places.  While in Java we partook of the famous … Rijs Katolfel – first a helping of rice – then about 27 different dishes … Each dish is served by a different boy … 27 of them … appear over your left shoulder in a seemingly endless string of silver dishes and brown hands.  Everything is piled on the plate before one commences to eat – and, as you can imagine – the resultant heap presents a rather formidable appearance.  But – believe it or not – I cleaned my plate!  I will admit I did not ask for a second helping – although I understand the Dutch frequently do.  I am glad I did not do so … because my stomach seemed the playground of hundreds of little imps playing around with tiny – but sharp – pitchforks all the night of that memorable day!

     Java proved far the most interesting and beautiful country we have visited – terraced rice fields climb the hillsides to heights – and at inclinations – almost unbelievable – and they afford a pretty picture patterned in all hues of tans, browns, greys, greens and yellows.  In between the rice paddies are large areas of beautiful woodlands and the entire island is a succession of low, level coastal plains – high plateaus, deep and beautiful valleys, rolling hills and towering, rugged mountains – many climbing more than 13,000 feet.  The days are not too warm, and the nights are delightfully cool – a veritable paradise. The natives are gentle, friendly people, very industrious and, in contrast to other places in the far east, the men seem to do most of the work.

     The cities are numerous, fairly large, and almost without exception, very clean and truly beautiful – paved streets, good street lighting, pleasant substantial homes set in nicely – but not too formally – landscaped grounds. I hear the dinner gong – or its equivalent – and Amelia is calling – so I must close.  With kindest regards – and the hope I shall be back in the not distant future. — Sincerely, Fred

Fred Noonan and Amelia Earhart disappeared
July 2, 193

For much more on Fred Noonan, please see my Dec. 23, 2014 post, “Fred Noonan: Amelia Earhart’s forgotten navigator” and “Fred Noonan’s drinking: In search of the true story,” published on Jan. 6, 2015.

Today’s post is devoted to stamp collectors, also known as philatelists, and everyone else who’s interested in stamps honoring Amelia Earhart in all corners of the world.  First, from the opening pages of Volume 1 of the collected Amelia Earhart Society Newsletters (December 1989 to March 2000), we have:

THE ONLY SURVIVING FIRST DAY FLIGHT COVER OF THE 2nd AMELIA EARHART WORLD FLIGHT ATTEMPT OF 1937.  Margot DeCarie Miss Earhart’s secretary did not return it in time to be placed aboard the Lockheed Electra aircraft when it departed Oakland, California for Miami, Florida on May 19, 1937 [sic, correct date was May 21].  Miss DeCarie age 83 who died in N. Hollywood, California on March 13, 1983 presented the cover to Major Joe Gervais for his extensive Pacific research [sic] into the Earhart Mystery.  The flight cover displays 10 years of U.S. Airmail postage from the period of 1927 to 1937.

Author David K. Bowman offers more about the Earhart flight covers.  In Bowman’s 2015 book, Amelia Earhart Philately, “The World’s First Book on Amelia Earhart Philately,” (in 2016 an enlarged second edition was published), he presents an image of the “only autographed souvenir envelope known to survive from Amelia Earhart’s 1937 round-the-world flight. . . . Autographed by Earhart and addressed to Mr. E.H. Dimity, a parachute manufacturer who was her unofficial business manager, the stamped flight cover was among approximately 10,000 sole by Gimbel’s in Manhattan to raise money for the first attempt at a world flight.   6500 [sic]of them were consigned to Earhart to take on her flight.”  Bowman continues:

During the takeoff attempt in Honolulu, the plane went into a loop (type of fishtail), its landing gear gave way and it crashed.  When the plane was sent back to Burbank for repairs, the mail was placed in the custody of the Honolulu postmaster.  A cachet was added to the envelopes reading, “Held over in Honolulu following Take-Off Accident of March 20, 1937.”  An additional 1000 covers were also subsequently sold with the cachet “2nd TAKEOFF.”  The covers in Honolulu were later returned to Oakland, but before they were loaded into Earhart’s plane in May, Elmer Dimity removed his envelope and part of a joke he planned to play when Earhart returned.  He said he had hoped to meet her with the envelope in hand, saying the mail had arrived before she did.  On May 2, 1937, Earhart took off on her ill-fated flight [sic, correct date was May 21].  The final number of covers carried on the flight was 7500.

This is the front page of the program for the 1991 Christi’s Auction, at which the Dimity cover was sold.

“Mr. Dimity sold the envelope in the 1960s on behalf of the Amelia Earhart Foundation to a dealer,” according to Scott. R. Trepel, a Christie’s consultant, who organized the auction house’s sale.  “The collector who bought the envelope from that dealer is the unidentified seller of the Earhart memento, which was sold with an affidavit from Mr. Dimity, bringing in between $20,000 and $30,000.” 

In David K. Bowman’s Amelia Earhart Philately, the author states that this is a “rare specimen of a Second Takeoff cover, of which 1000 were sold. Few are known to exist.” Italics mine.

This is the cover of the 2016 Enlarged Second Edition of David K. Bowman’s Amelia Earhart Philately.  It is the only book in the world showing all stamps issued to honor Amelia Earhart, the greatest aviatrix of the 20th Century.  Lavishly illustrated in full color, this volume should be a hit with those interest in philately, history and aviation.  Completely illustrated in full color.  It will shortly be in the American Philatelic Society’s online library.

Another example of the fascinating collection of stamps and other collector’s memorabilia from David K. Bowman’s Amelia Earhart Philately

Editor’s note: We’ve just been informed of the sad passing of David K. Bowman.  Details are unavailable, but for much more on Dave’s life and work, please see my Jan. 18, 2017 post, “The Psychic World of Amelia Earhart.”

May 23 update: There was a good reason by I put quotes around “Only surviving” in the headline for this post, as I wasn’t sure if the claims being made in the pieces from the AES and Dave Bowman were entirely accurate, as I’m no Earhart stamp expert myself.

On May 22, researcher Les Kinney wrote, “For your information, a second flight cover turned up and was sold at auction many years ago.  Its provenance is strange; but no doubt it was the real thing. George Putnam and Amelia were less than honest about the flight covers and their trip around the world.”

Next, Woody Rogers, a longtime collector of Earhart memorabilia, checked in with an even more weighty and complex correction:

I have all 3 types of the last flight covers. The one that Dave Bowman posted of the second takeoff is mine. As I heard and have read bits and pieces of, there were 10,000 covers produced. Type 1 has AROUND THE WORLD FLIGHT in the bottom left of the cover. Type 2 has the same words with stars in between around the world and type has “second take off” under around the world flight, as evidenced in the photos that I’ve attached. As far as a total on the plane, nobody has those numbers. You could purchase the covers over the counter at either Gimbels location, with or without her signature. You could also opt to have the cover franked and mailed to you. The last option was to receive your cover carried on her plane by mail after she completed the flight.

The numbers I found were 3500 type 1s, when Gimbels ran out, 3500 more type 2 covers were made with the stars on them.  After the disaster in Hawaii, 3000 2nd takeoff covers were made, because of time constraints, all but 12 of the type 3s went on the plane. Those 12 Amelia gave to her mother and told her she would give them to her for good luck and sign them after she completed the flight. Amy eventually gave them away. There weren’t actually 10,000 on the plane because of the over the counter and mailed covers sold before the flight, so there’s no accurate count of what was actually put on the plane. I bought all of mine on eBay starting in 2002.  The signed type 1 was $1250, the type 2 was $142 and the Second Take Off cover was $785.  A few weeks after I bought it, I saw one sold at auction for $32,000, so mine was a great deal! I have a few pre and post flight documents and letters from Gimbel’s that I’ll send you copies of later today. Enjoy! You may use these photos as you wish.

Cover one (below), which is signed, has no stars in around the world flight.  Cover two has the stars. Cover 3 is imprinted with 2nd Take Off.  Cover 4 is a cover from a stamp club that was franked and mailed by the stamp club to their member after the crash in Hawaii. On the back of that cover is a stamp from the Treasure Island Exposition, 1938-1939.  Paul Mantz gave plane rides in his Sikorsky amphibian during the 2 years of the Exposition.  My dad was there with his Boy Scout troop, Paul Mantz was out with his plane, my dad started asking him questions about the plane, Paul handed him a blank ticket with a photo and gave him a ride that morning.  This was my dad’s start in a love of flying that eventually led to a 31-year military career in with 23 years of that as a Marine Aviator.

The below document appeared in the February 1995 edition of the Amelia Earhart Society Newsletters, and is aptly titled, “A U.S. STATE DEPT. MEMO DATED FEB. 8TH, 1965.”  It contains references to former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Arleigh Burke and GI Earhart witnesses on Saipan, and appears to have a direct relationship to author and researcher Fred Goerner’s early 1960s Earhart investigations on Saipan.  Click on image for larger view.

This document has been marked as “DECLASSIFIED” at its top and bottom borders.  It’s impossible to determine when this declassification occurred, but it was likely later than early 1965, when it was created.  The memo may have been included in the package of 1967 declassified Navy files, which I do not have in its original form. 

Herein we learn here that the State Department’s Earhart file “complete jacket” is identified as number “200.113 (1960-1),” and that “the copy of Adm. [Arleigh] Burke’s letter of Dec. 24 1960 to Assistant Secretary Parsons“ as well as Parson’s reply of Dec. 30, 1960 have been sent to the recipient(s) of this letter, identified as “EA/J – Mr. Knowles and P/HO Richardson Dougall.”

The only reference about John F. Knowles an Internet search found was as a State Department official listed in a Memorandum of Conversation of Dec. 4, 1962 on State’s Office of the Historian website.  The subject was “Japanese Copper Ore Purchases; Trade Liberalization by Japan; Trade Expansion Act.”  

Much more can be found about the other addressee in the memo, Richardson Dougall.  In a 1985 interview with the Minnesota Historical Society, we learn that Dougall was a retired State Department Historian (thus the “HO” in the address line) and organist, 68 years old, living in Portland, Ore.  A search of Amazon reveals he wrote at least seven books, most relating to his State Department position, all quite obscure and non-selling.  Clearly, Knowles and Dougall were inside players in the State Department’s Earhart cover-up during the mid-1960s.

Adm. Arleigh Burke was Chief of Naval Operations from 1955 to 1961, distinguishing himself during World War II and the Korean War, and this is the first time I’ve seen his name connected in any way to the Earhart disappearance. 

Fred Goerner with witness Dr. Manuel Aldan on Saipan, June 1960.  Aldan was a dentist whose patients were Japanese officers, who told them of the lady spy in they called “Earharto!”  See page 85 of Truth at Last for more.  (Courtesy San Francisco Library Special Collections.)

The “references to photographs [and presumably, accounts] in the Game-Goerner article” of the two individuals described in No. 4, “a former member of Army Intelligence from New York, who took a ‘photograph from a Japanese officer during Saipan’s 1944 invasion showing Earhart before Japanese aircraft,’ ” and an “ex-Marine from Virginia, who fought across Saipan’s Red Beach One in 1944 and ‘tore a snapshot of Amelia Earhart, shown with a Japanese officer, off the wall of a house the Japanese had occupied’ ” were included in Fred Goerner’s 1966 bestseller The Search for Amelia Earhart.  

The Saipan GIs were Sgt. Ralph R. Kanna, of Johnson City, N.Y., and Robert Kinley (rank unknown), of Norfolk, Va., respectively.  Their accounts, as well as other finds of Earhart-related photos, can be found in my March 13, 2020 post, “Veterans recall seeing Earhart photos on Saipan.”

Below the negatively exposed memorandum, AES President and newsletter editor Bill Prymak offered the following comments:

QUESTIONS:  Why should the State Dept. still be interested in Earhart in 1965 if they took the official position in 1937 that she was simply lost at sea?

Who is RM/R?  Why the interest in the photos from Saipan?

Is the above mentioned file part of the same Earhart file(s) that Col. [Rollin] Reineck has been trying to get released?

STAY TUNED. . . . . we may have more coming.