WORD OF AMELIA’S DISAPPEARANCE soon became world news, and as the second day of the search for her dawned, a Hawaiian radio station made an unusual offer. Would the coast guard allow the radio station to broadcast a message to Amelia in hopes she could hear it?

The coast guard quickly agreed. Arrangements for the special broadcast were made with NBC’s Hawaiian affiliate, KGU, and with Honolulu’s other big commercial station, KGMB. Since Amelia was known to listen to both stations, broadcasters believed she might be tuned in for news of the search effort.

While the radio stations sent their messages, coast guard and navy stations in Hawaii, and on Midway and Wake islands, planned to monitor the airwaves for any reply. Using their direction finders, they would try to determine where any answering signals were coming from.

By sundown, everyone—coast guard, navy and radio station—was ready. Across the central Pacific, radiomen hunkered down next to their radios.

Would Amelia call?

World headlines screamed the news of Amelia’s disappearance. (picture credit 7.1)