The First Of Anxious Times

On this date seventy-five years ago Amelia Earhart flew from Massawa, Ethiopia, down the coast of the Red Sea to Assab, Eritrea, where she had the Lockheed serviced and fueled in preparation "... for the long flight along the Arabian coast to India.  Assab ... offered better take-off facilities as well as a greater supply of 87 Octane gasoline."  Amelia also notes that her departure from Massawa was announced to the world as a take off for Karachi instead of Assab.  "When we became long overdue at that Indian destination naturally there was anxiety regarding us. And all the while we were sitting at Assab."  The world now knows that this anxiety would be nothing compared to that of just a few weeks and a few thousand miles away.  In But This Is Different http://butthisisdifferent.com we know that even now things are going exactly according to plan.  However, seventy-five years ago tomorrow Amelia will say good-bye to " ... everything that was green and approach a land terribly barren beyond description.
The Lockheed Electra is photographed inside the hanger at Assab, Eritrea, as workers fill the gasoline tanks.