This is the story of Amelia Earhart.
She was an airplane pilot and a great American hero.
On July 2, 1937, the airplane that Amelia Earhart was flying crashed near Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean.
For many months people searched for Amelia Earhart's plane, but it was never found.
Since 1937 there have been many other expeditions to find Amelia's plane, but no one has been able to find it.
Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897, to Amy and Edwin Earhart.
She was born in Kansas City, but lived all over the United States.
When she was ten, her family moved to Iowa. Amelia began keeping a diary.
July 1908: "Today is my tenth birthday.
It was a great day. Father took us to the Iowa State Fair.
It was very exciting. I saw an airplane for the first time.
It was a strange-looking thing, and I can't imagine anyone flying in it."
In 1917, during World War I, Amelia went to visit her sister at school in Canada.
While she was there, she decided to train as a nurse.
She served as a volunteer at a military hospital in Toronto and helped heal many soldiers until the war ended in 1918.
November 1918: "The war has finally ended, and I am going back to the United States.
It was a terrible war. I tried to help as many soldiers as I could, but many men died.
I hope there is never another war."
After the war Amelia went to California to be with her mother and father.
It was in California that Amelia fell in love with flying.
December 1920: "A few days ago, I had the most exhilarating day of my life.
I went with Father to Daugherty Field.
We watched an air show. Today I got a chance to fly in an airplane, and I loved it! I have to fly again."
January 1921: "I met Neta today. She is going to give me flying lessons.
I am going to become an airplane pilot!"
March 1921: "This was the worst day of my life.
I had another accident in my airplane.
Neta thinks that I may never be a good pilot.
Mother and Father agree with her and want me to stop flying.
But I will never stop. Flying is my life now.
I will show them that I can be a great pilot.
I will become the best pilot ever."
June 1921: "Today I bought an airplane and named it the Canary.
Unfortunately I got into a very small accident when I was landing the plane. But tomorrow will be better."
Amelia never gave up. She worked very hard for the next seven years and became an excellent pilot.
During those seven years, she also became famous.
In fact, the Boston Globe called her the best woman pilot in the United States.
April 1928: "I am so excited. Today I got a call from Captain Railey.
He asked me to become the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.
I will be the captain of the flight, and two men will come with me.
But my dream is to fly across the Atlantic Ocean by myself.”
May 1932: "I did it! I flew across the Atlantic by myself.
It was not easy, but I persisted. I encountered a thunderstorm and heavy fog.
All I had to eat on the trip was two cans of tomato juice.
I had hoped to land in Paris, France, but because of the storm, I landed in Ireland."
June 1932: "What a day! First, there was a parade for me in New York City.
Thousands of people came out onto the street to cheer for me.
I felt like a hero. Later I flew to Washington DC and went to the White House.
President Hoover presented me with an award."
After her solo Atlantic flight, Amelia was very famous.
Her next goal was to fly around the world.
December 1936: "I have decided to fly all the way around the world.
I will be the first woman to do it. But even more important, I will fly around the world at the equator.
If I succeed, it will be the longest distance ever traveled in one airplane trip.
Not even any man has flown so far.
The trip will need careful planning and preparation.
I will have to do a trial flight to test equipment, and I'll have to carefully research the best route."
May 1937: "I said good-bye to my friends, my family, and many of my new fans today.
I have begun my journey around the world.
It will take about a month. Today I flew from California and I will land in Florida in a few days."
During her long trip, Amelia continued writing her diary.
Whenever she landed, she found a way to send her diary entries home to her husband, George Putnam.
Her last entry was in July 1937. It was very short.
"Tomorrow I will be flying over Howland Island. I hope it is a nice day."
Then, the very next day, her plane crashed near Howland Island.
Immediately searchers went out to find her.
President Roosevelt sent 9 Navy ships and 66 airplanes.
They searched for almost a month, but could not find her.
Still to this day, no one has been able to find her plane.
Amelia Earhart was a courageous and brave woman.
Before she left on her flight around the world, Amelia wrote this letter to her husband:
Dear George,
Please know I am aware that this trip will be dangerous, but I must make it.
Women must try to do the things that men have done.
Even if I fail, I hope that my adventure will challenge other women to try.