S3 Ep25: The Taraia Object: A Conversation with Dr. Richard Pettigrew

In 2021, I had a conversation with brothers Mike and Robert Ashmore regarding a highly curious satellite image they’d discovered in a lagoon on an island that’s gotten a lot of play in this Earhart investigation over the years. It’s been some time since that interview and the wheels of this case turn slowly……but they do turn. 

Tonight, in a follow up to that episode, I welcome a man that has been on my radar for years, and over those years, we’ve talked off and on about him being a project guest but we wanted to wait until just the right moment for him to make his debut. Fortunately, now is that moment, and we owe it to that conversation with the Ashmore brothers from over 3 years ago. That satellite image they stumbled across? Now has a name and a true blue expedition out to Nikumaroro to investigate it. It’s called the Taraia object. 

He’s been named dropped for years by multiple guests. Tonight, one of the most decorated archeologists we've ever had on the show makes his Chasing Earhart debut to discuss a brand new expedition out to a very familiar place with an entirely new goal. 

This case has a way of bringing things full circle, and boy are we completing one of those tonight. 

Welcome back to Chasing Earhart. From Eugene Oregon by way of the Archeology Channel, this is Dr. Richard Pettigrew.

LINKS

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SHOW NOTES & FURTHER READING

• The Taraia Object: Amelia Earhart’s Aircraft? Official Expedition Website
• The Archaeology Channel's Official Website
• "New Expedition Hopes to Find Amelia Earhart's Plane" @ Inside Edition on YouTube
• "Oregon archaeologist to embark on expedition to find Amelia Earhart’s long-lost plane" @ The NY Post
• Heritage Broadcasting's Official Website
• "The Last Flight: Local Organization Searching for Amelia Earhart" @ KLCC
• "The Continuing Search for Amelia Earhart: An Interview with Tom King" @ The Archaeology Channel

• "The Road to Amelia: A Conversation with Mike & Robert Ashmore" @ Chasing Earhart

• RECON Offshore's Official Website
• Aerial Tour of Nikumaroro @ TIGHAR's YouTube Channel
• Lost & Found - 1938 Nikumaroro New Zealand Images @ TIGHAR's .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}