The quiet history of Amelia Earhart's disappearance, and her odd connection to Irene Craigmile Bolam

RECALL HOW ON THE MORNING OF JULY 2, 1937 Amelia Earhart sent her last 'officially recognized' radio message as she and Fred Noonan continued to fly safely over the Pacific Ocean. Their fuel supply remained ample; the leg to Howland Island from New Guinea was a 2,550 mile flight with their Lockheed Electra 10E airplane featuring a distance range of 4,500 miles. Their last believed coordinates were described as 'Near The Equator In The Vicinity Northwest Of Howland Island, Well Below The Gilbert Islands And The Marshall Islands.' Besides not being able to locate Howland--a tiny island amid the vast ocean expanse--they never reported any trouble flying. While still in the U. S. before she began her journey, Earhart mentioned to Gene Vidal that if she and Noonan had trouble locating Howland she would reserve enough fuel to head back to the Gilbert-Marshalls archipilago. (continued further down)

U. N. Marshall Islands Ambassador, Alfred Capelle Called it 'true unrecognized history' that Amelia Earhart came to the Marshall Islands in 1937.

U. S. Navy Admiral Chester Nimitz Said it was "known and documented in Washington" that Earhart ended up in the Marshall Islands.

Monsignor James Francis Kelley of Seton Hall In the 1980s he first admitted to aiding Earhart's 'private' continued survival.

A U. S. 0-2 INTELLIGENCE REPORT DATED NOVEMBER, 1938 described how after her last publicly relayed message was heard, "She (Amelia) stated she was turning north, and they (Earhart and Noonan) continued to be heard at intervals." The report also mentioned that "Her signals became fainter as she continued to head north until they were no longer received." For three days Pan Am's Makapu Point station in Hawaii recorded follow up radio transmissions determined to have likely been from Earhart. A degree of error bearing correction from the Coast Guard Cutter Itasca to Makapu showed the signals eminated from the region of the lower Marshall Islands. To date however, no Earhart radio messages besides those from the Coast Guard Cutter Itasca's log that cut-off while Earhart was still approaching Howland Island on July 2, 1937, were ever 'authenticated' as Earhart's. The Itasca's radio log had been oddly withheld from the public by FDR Cabinet member, Henry P. Morgenthau Jr. until July of 1938. Before he released it, in May of 1938 Morgenthau had sent a response to First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt [scroll further down to see excerpt] displaying his reluctance to make the final report on Earhart's last flight public, especially where it concerned a choice Earhart made that was "against all orders" and how releasing the complete final report stood to "ruin" her reputation. (continued further down)

U. N. Marshall Islands Ambassador, Alfred Capelle In 2002 he affirmed to Ron Staton of the Associated Press: Earhart definitely came to the Marshall's

Note: The U. S. National Press circuit did not pick up on it, but in 1987 the Marshall Islands commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the 1937 rescue of Earhart and Noonan and the recovery of their plane with an impressive series of postage stamps. Below see an example from the series: A 1987 Marshall Islands Commemorative Stamp... ...plane hoisted, Japan naval officer with Noonan and Earhart. "Picked up, not captured."

2002 Article by Associated Press's Ron Staton Staton interviewed Capelle at an Earhart Research Symposium

TODAY, MARSHALL ISLANDS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS still openly describe just as they always have, how Amelia Earhart's arrival at the Marshall Islands in 1937 when it was under Japan's authority, is legitimate history. They also feel the protection of Earhart's legacy and national pride has long disallowed such a truth to be endorsed to the American public. This left the Earhart case an open playing field. There is no doubt Earhart ended her flight in Japan's pre-war Imperial Mandate Islands, and that she visited Japan governed Saipan as well, although there was never any solid conveyance of Amelia Earhart's or Fred Noonan's death taking place while they were in Japan's care. Still, by the 1960s many Americans had been encouraged to believe that Earhart had either died of an illness Japan neglected, or from something more ridiculously macabre; Japan's outright executions of both Earhart and Noonan. Decades later, completely out of the blue and with no historical foundation for doing so, the U. S. Navy started showing support of an idea expressing how Earhart and Noonan flew so far off course they ended up hundreds of miles south of the equator on a desert island where they lived like Robinson Crusoe--until they died of hunger and dehydration. No evidence was ever found to authenticate the innocent suggestion, of course. In the meantime, any mention that the duo may have somehow privately survived was always quickly dismissed out of hand by Amelia Earhart's and Irene Craigmile's families, and automatically ignored by official U. S. history. Recall as well, there never was an 'official investigation' launched into the 1937 'disappearance' of Earhart and Noonan.  Note: In 1960 Amelia Earhart would have only been sixty-three years old.

What's New? Here are some excerpts taken from recent articles published in Variety and elsewhere:

February 22, 2013:  Below find recent Earhart search news found in articles by Variety's Alexie Villegas Zotomayer & news reporter Haidee V. Eugenio  

Eyewitness Accounts State Earhart Made It To Saipan; Claimed She Initially Went Down In The Marshall Islands   

eyewitness accounts are pouring in on WWII sightings of American aviatrix Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan on Saipan, permits, however, have yet to be issued to allow the researchers to dig at Naftan Point and at two former As Lito airfield sites.

Aircraft Recovery Associates, composed of veteran filmmakers, researchers and Earhart enthusiasts have been on Saipan since January; however, they continue to wait for the release of the permits that will allow them to conduct digs and to gather evidence to support their hypothesis about Earhart’s disappearance in 1937.

Amelia Earhart

Lead investigator Michael Harris, and recovery specialists Richard Martini and Captain Paul H. Cooper have been on Saipan for several weeks now exploring the hypothesis that Amelia Earhart was taken to Saipan, incarcerated and died here.

- See more at: http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/53805-earhart-research-awaits-release-of-permits?tmpl=component&layout=default&page=#sthash.RKRn6oZH.dpuf

eyewitness accounts are pouring in on WWII sightings of American aviatrix Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan on Saipan, permits, however, have yet to be issued to allow the researchers to dig at Naftan Point and at two former As Lito airfield sites.

Aircraft Recovery Associates, composed of veteran filmmakers, researchers and Earhart enthusiasts have been on Saipan since January; however, they continue to wait for the release of the permits that will allow them to conduct digs and to gather evidence to support their hypothesis about Earhart’s disappearance in 1937.

Amelia Earhart

Lead investigator Michael Harris, and recovery specialists Richard Martini and Captain Paul H. Cooper have been on Saipan for several weeks now exploring the hypothesis that Amelia Earhart was taken to Saipan, incarcerated and died here.

- See more at: http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/53805-earhart-research-awaits-release-of-permits?tmpl=component&layout=default&page=#sthash.RKRn6oZH.dpuf

eyewitness accounts are pouring in on WWII sightings of American aviatrix Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan on Saipan, permits, however, have yet to be issued to allow the researchers to dig at Naftan Point and at two former As Lito airfield sites.

Aircraft Recovery Associates, composed of veteran filmmakers, researchers and Earhart enthusiasts have been on Saipan since January; however, they continue to wait for the release of the permits that will allow them to conduct digs and to gather evidence to support their hypothesis about Earhart’s disappearance in 1937.

Amelia Earhart

Lead investigator Michael Harris, and recovery specialists Richard Martini and Captain Paul H. Cooper have been on Saipan for several weeks now exploring the hypothesis that Amelia Earhart was taken to Saipan, incarcerated and died here.

- See more at: http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/53805-earhart-research-awaits-release-of-permits?tmpl=component&layout=default&page=#sthash.RKRn6oZH.dpuf

eyewitness accounts are pouring in on WWII sightings of American aviatrix Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan on Saipan, permits, however, have yet to be issued to allow the researchers to dig at Naftan Point and at two former As Lito airfield sites.

Aircraft Recovery Associates, composed of veteran filmmakers, researchers and Earhart enthusiasts have been on Saipan since January; however, they continue to wait for the release of the permits that will allow them to conduct digs and to gather evidence to support their hypothesis about Earhart’s disappearance in 1937.

- See more at: http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/53805-earhart-research-awaits-release-of-permits?tmpl=component&layout=default&page=#sthash.RKRn6oZH.dpuf

Many documented eyewitness accounts have recently been gathered concerning WWII era sightings of American aviatrix, Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan on Saipan. Now, a group of experts feel they are getting close to laying to rest the 76-year mystery of the disappearance of legendary aviatrix. That is what U.S. based film director, producer, screenwriter, and freelance journalist Richard Martini, famed aircraft recovery lead investigator Michael Harris, and aircraft recovery specialist Capt. Paul H. Cooper are trying to do in their ongoing research on Saipan. The investigators and many others, to include well known 1960s CBS radio journalist, Fred Goerner and a plethora of past and present Saipanese and Marshall Islands government officials, insist Earhart went down at Mili Atoll of the Marshall Islands and soon after travelled to Saipan while the pre-war era American public remained 'unaware' of such a reality.

Note: Pertaining to the above, Amelia Earhart no-doubt visited Saipan while it was under Japan's authority, although it remains highly doubtful she died there or was ever held there by Japan against her will. 

 

Original Irene O'Crowley Craigmile, middle, 1930. Amelia's friend, what became of her after 1934 is a mystery unto itself.

The Gervais-Irene Craigmile Bolam, 1978 Proud with her wings, she was identified nowhere as 'Irene' prior to the 1940s.

The third Irene Craigmile (Bolam).... ...she helped raise the original Irene's 1934 born son.

Orville Wright & Amelia Earhart	Below: Gervais-Irene & Amelia superimposed: A head to toe match, character traits too, including handwriting. (See below.)

Amelia Earhart, age thirty in 1928. Photo taken after her Friendship flight.	Equally blended... ...Amelia at age 30 and the Gervais-Irene Craigmile Bolam.	From a 1963 photo taken in Japan... ...the Gervais-Irene Craigmile Bolam, known as 'Irene' from the mid-1940s until her passing in 1982.

Gervais-Irene's handwriting compared to Amelia's:

From a 1967 letter she sent to Joe Gervais, with Amelia's own "Amelia M Earhart" signature added.

USN Admiral Chester Arthur Nimitz

Commander of the Pacific Fleet during World War Two

From a 10/18/82 New Jersey News Tribune article: Msgr. Kelley later verified his late friend, Irene Bolam used to be known as 'Amelia Earhart.'

Photo of Msgr. Kelley from his autobiography. Past Seton Hall President, Msgr. James F. Kelley knew both Lindbergh and Earhart.

The Original Irene O'Crowley Craigmile, 1930. Amelia's 'pal' with her husband Charles Craigmile & her father Joe O'Crowley. Charles died in 1931. In the early 1930s, Irene O'Crowley Craigmile was Amelia Earhart's friend and 'flying pal.' In 2006 the 1934 born son of Irene O'Crowley Craigmile spoke of the good friendship that had existed between Amelia Earhart and his mother's family, the O'Crowleys of Newark, New Jersey. The friendship started in 1928 when Amelia met his mother's aunt, Attorney Irene Mary Rutherford O'Crowley who was a charter ZONTA club member along with well known publicist, Nina Price. Attorney Irene and Ms. Price grew to be close friends with Amelia, (Amelia also joined the ZONTAs after she became famous) and they were contract advisors and promoters of the famous Amelia Earhart signature luggage line. (Into the 1960s Amelia Earhart Luggage was still headquartered in Newark.) Irene O'Crowley Craigmile's son identified the young looking woman (ID'd above as the 'third' Irene Craigmile) as his early childhood mother, who was not the original Irene O'Crowley Craigmile (his true birth mother, shown above in 1930) nor was she the Gervais-Irene, whose enigmatic quality and importance among her peers was well-noticed in 1965 by retired USAF Major Joe Gervais, after he was introduced to her by Amelia's old friend, Viola Gentry. A forensic analysis revealed that the original Irene O'Crowley Craigmile no longer existed beyond the mid-1930s, approximate to just after the time of her son's birth. It is true today, beyond the limited information one hears or reads; what became of the original Irene O'Crowley Craigmile after 1934 remains a mystery unto itself, and the Gervais-Irene who was identified nowhere as 'Irene' prior to the 1940s, did share a head to toe congruence with Amelia Earhart.  Note: Further down see more photos and information about Monsignor James Francis Kelley and his long time friendship with the Gervais-Irene O'Crowley Craigmile Bolam.

1966 Doubleday book by CBS Radio's Fred Goerner... A top ten New York Times 'Best Seller,' years later 'official silence' left few recalling it.

How Amelia Earhart's 'Disappearance Controversy' Re-Surfaced In The 1960s These two great investigative books from 1966 and 1970 combined for over fifteen years of documented research. They clearly revealed how in 1937 the United States and Japan chose not to publicly disclose an awareness they shared on what became of Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan. The books' authors along with other private investigators who inquired about the overwhelming amount of indisputable evidence they discovered, were greeted with official silence in Washington and Tokyo when they pressed for more information. Eventually most all gave up on trying to get an official response. Still, by the mid-1970s it had become clear in a forensic way that Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan did not just crash and sink, nor did they disappear from the face of the earth, nor did they die of sickness on Saipan, nor were they executed by Japan for spying, nor did they perish on a remote desert island hundreds of miles south of the equator. A purpose was served though, for the introductions of these and other suggestions about the duo's final fate helped keep the 'mystery' idea going. Today those most keenly aware of the Earhart disappearance saga accept the reality of the duo having survived well beyond the date of their so-called disappearance under the auspice of Japan, while understanding the general public was just never clued in about it.

1970 McGraw-Hill book by Joe Klaas w/Joe Gervais A best seller, later unjustifiably ridiculed, it first pontificated Amelia 'privately survived.'

Amelia Earhart, age 26, before she became famous.

WWII hero & retired USAF Major Joe Gervais...

...in 1983 on his way to Howland Island. Amelia never made there in 1937.

Monsignor Kelley & friend Irene in 1980

Kelley eventually admitted she acquired the original Irene's identity in the 1940s.

From FDR's Cabinet, Henry P. Morgenthau Jr.

His duties well exceeded his job description.

1938 White House transcript continued from above:

The lack of a "proper search" referenced the U. S. never searching the Marshalls.

From Morgenthau's conversation...

...with the First Lady's secretary Malvina Scheider about the withheld Earhart disappearance report.

CBS Radio Journalist, Fred Goerner's 1966 book... A New York Times 'Best Seller,' ascertained Earhart 'quietly' ended up under Japan's auspice,

The 1970 Joe Klaas, Joe Gervais book... ...A New York Times best seller, avowed Amelia 'privately' survived with Japan & U.S. help.

By Robert Myers & Barbara Wiley, 1985 A first hand account; avowed Joe Gervais was right about the 'Irene' he met in 1965.

Randall Brink's 1994 'Best Seller'... Brink collaborated with Gervais & was invited to Irene's 1982 Memorial Dinner.

By Colonel Rollin Reineck, 2004 First displayed Beyond 37's study results, stated the Gervais-Irene was 'formerly Earhart.'

By David Bowman, 2005 Beyond 37' overlay on the cover, it focused mainly on the Irene-Amelia controversy.

Monsignor Kelley with N.J. Gov. Byrne and his wife

...and baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn and his wife, and Sandy Palmer.

Monsignor Kelley & Pope Paul VI at the Vatican, during a 1960s visit. Janey Blaylock is also in the photo. Monsignor Kelley & his friend, Irene Bolam in 1980 Kelley described how she had used the original Irene's identity from the 1940s to 1982.

Admiral Nimitz and Senator Al Hawkes... ...receiving honorary Seton Hall degrees from Monsignor Kelley; Monsignor Kelley shown in a family picture... ...his sister, Gertrude in white on his left.

1944, Monsignor Kelley awards F.B.I. Director.... ...J. Edgar Hoover Seton Hall's LLD with Archbishop Thomas Walsh. See Monsignor Kelley referenced in the article below. Note: From 1970 on, to include after the Gervais-Irene died in July of 1982, people still weren't sure about Kelley's friend, Irene's past or who she really was.   From a 10/18/82 New Jersey Tribune article: Msgr. Kelley later verified his late friend Irene Bolam's (Gervais-Irene) 'dual' identity.

Kelley's sister Gertrude & Gervais-Irene Bolam Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia 1976. The truthful nature of Monsignor Kelley's later admission to researchers, that his long time friend, Irene Bolam really had been the woman previously known as Amelia Earhart, started getting clearer after Beyond 37's forensic analysis commenced...    Gervais-Irene Bolam From Beyond 37's study, overlayed with Amelia Earhart.

Monsignor James Francis Kelley, 1946... ...with the Smithsonian Institution's commissioned bronz bust of his likeness. ...until finally in 2002, when it was forensically learned that three different women had been attributed to the same Irene Craigmile Bolam identity, with the Gervais-Irene who Kelley knew matching Amelia head-to-toe and character trait wise. At that point, suddenly Monsignor Kelley's past assertion was being taken more seriously.     The Gervais-Irene... ...superimposed with Amelia Earhart.

With New Jersey Governor, Brenden Byrne... ...Monsignor Kelley being awarded a Doctorate of Law Degree Msgr. Kelley with friends, Jackie Gleason and Ted Hussing

Photo of Msgr. Kelley from his autobiography. His chapter about Amelia and his helping her to become Irene was omitted against his will. Monsignor Kelley with his friend, Ed Sullivan.

Kelley with Jack Warner of Warner Bros. Pictures. Msgr. Kelley was also well acquainted with Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable. Kelley with Betty Ford and Marge Montana

Their friendship grew much closer after WWII. Irene (the Gervais-Irene) and Monsignor Kelley at dinner, mid-late 1970s.

Below: Research Document; Helen Barber statement. Mrs. Barber, of Pennsylvania, spoke with and wrote to retired Col. Rollin C. Reineck

Note: Back in 1990, after being pressured by Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii to do so, Secretary of State James Baker's office confirmed a de-classified by the 1980 FOIA World War Two file labeled 'Earhart, Amelia; Special War Problems' surfaced in State Department archives. In 1972 a file bearing such a heading had first been disclosed by a volunteer archivist who had come across it, who cited there was "more than one file" labeled that way. Arthur Dewayne Gibson of Verdunville, West Virginia mentioned one of the files described Amelia Earhart test flying planes in Japan's Imperial Mandate Islands in 1938. In 1984, State Department archivist, Patricia Morton found another file labeled the same way containing end of war correspondences to Earhart's survived husband, George Putnam. To date the State Department has never officially elaborated on the various files' contents, nor has it explained why such a cache of 'Earhart, Amelia; Special War Problems' labeled files left over from World War Two ever existed in the first place. The State Department did send a letter to Senator Inouye stating the individual (in the case of 1984, archivist Patricia Morton who later appeared in an NBC Earhart special) who located and revealed the file she found was "not acting in an official capacity" when she came upon it. None the less, anymore it is clear official history (likely with some quiet authoritative guidance) has tried hard to downplay the reality of Earhart's post-loss situation, allowing for private enterprises (such as TIGHAR) to empirically steer the curious in less controversial directions. However, the case of Earhart's survival doesn't really appear to have been a conspiracy. That's a common incorrect assumption, and a negative way of viewing it. Instead, it is clear anymore that very few people, Amelia Earhart herself among them of course, were aware of such a long-ago private arrangement the public remained unaware of until at least 1970. Even then, after the truth first surfaced the public still couldn't conceive of such a thing having been at all possible, let alone real. As well, where official history has always automatically refused to offer it any creedence, so much explains why any suggestion of Amelia Earhart's post loss survival has left the idea to remain unendorsed by the general public, and therefore Wikipedia as well, even though it's obviously true to those who have taken the time to seriously look into it.

Another Gervais-Irene photo... ...superimposed with Amelia. "I think of God as a symbol for good--thinking good, identifying good in everybody and everything. This God I think of is not an abstraction, but a vitalizing, universal force, eternally present, and at all times available." Amelia Earhart

The 1970 Joe Klaas, Joe Gervais book... ...A New York Times best seller as well, determined Amelia 'privately' survived with Japan's help.

By Robert Myers & Barbara Wiley, 1985 A first hand account; claimed Joe Gervais was right about the 'Irene' he met in 1965.

By Colonel Rollin Reineck, 2004 First mentioned Beyond 37's forensic study-affirmed the Gervais-Irene was 'formerly' Amelia Earhart.

Gervais-Irene (Craigmile) Bolam, 1965. With British husband, Guy Bolam. (Photo taken by Joe Gervais after he met them.)

Blend: Gervais-Irene & Amelia Irene-1965 / Amelia-1933

Blend: Gervais-Irene & Amelia Irene-1963 / Amelia-1928

Blend: Gervais-Irene & Amelia Irene-1976 / Amelia-1932

Blend: Gervais-Irene & Amelia Irene-1978 / Amelia-1929

The Original Irene O'Crowley Craigmile, 1930.

Amelia's 'pal' with her husband Charles Craigmile & her father Joe O'Crowley.

The original Irene Craigmile, 1930

After her mother died she was co-raised by her paternal grandmother and her aunt, I. R. O'Crowley.