FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10 July 2012
Fauquier Heritage Institute Lectures in
American History
For further information contact: Mr. Gar
Schulin at 540-349-5864; or:
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Fauquier Heritage Institute presents
"The Search for Amelia Earhart"
By Gar Schulin
WARRENTON, VA - The 2012 edition of the
annual Fauquier Heritage Institute
Lectures in American History features
distinguished local historians and
nationally acclaimed scholars to address
a variety of topics of regional and
national significance. On Saturday, 21
July 2012, the Institute will host noted
historian and Surgeon Dr. White M.
Wallenborn, M.D., an authoritative
source on the disappearance of American
aviatrix Amelia Earhart with his
presentation, "The Search for Amelia
Earhart." The lecture will be held at
3:00 PM in the John Barton Payne
Building, located at 2 Courthouse
Square, on Main Street, in Old Town
Warrenton, Virginia. Admission is free
to the public.
On July 2, 1937, Amelia Earhart and her
navigator, Fred Noonan, radioed from her
Lockheed Electra 10E aircraft en route
from Lae, New Guinea, to their intended
destination, tiny Howland Island in the
Pacific Ocean, that they were running
low on fuel with less than 30 minutes
remaining with no land in sight in what
would prove to be their final radio
transmission received by the U.S. Coast
Guard cutter Itasca, stationed at
Howland Island for the rendezvous with
Earhart. The Coast Guard cutter was
standing by to assist in maintaining,
refueling and sending the Electra on its
next leg to Hawaii. Seventy-five years
after their mysterious disappearance
during her historic "Round the World"
flight attempt at the Equator, the
imaginations of America and the world
remain gripped by the tragedy, as search
expeditions continue for Earhart's plane
which might provide more clues to
perhaps the last great unsolved mystery
of the 20th century.
Distinguished lecturer Dr. Wallenborn is
a noted scholar, historian, Medical
Doctor, U.S. Air Force Rated Flight
Surgeon, instrument-rated commercial
pilot and veteran Aircraft Crash
Investigator for both the U.S. Air Force
and the Federal Aviation Administration,
He has collaborated with the Smithsonian
Institution’s National Air and Space
Museum curatorial staff on the Earhart
disappearance; and for this special 75th
Anniversary lecture, draws upon his
expertise and exhaustive research of the
case spanning over a half-century in a
powerful and compelling presentation
updated with new research and
long-suppressed details which promise to
reveal a greater understanding of the
true fate of this pioneering aviatrix
and her navigator.
Dr. Wallenborn is a 1951 Air Force ROTC
graduate of the University of North
Carolina with a degree in Chemistry; and
a 1955 University of Virginia School of
Medicine graduate. He is also a 1957
graduate of the U.S. Air Force School of
Aviation Medicine; and served as a Rated
Flight Surgeon in the Strategic Air
Command, a B-47 flight crew member in
the 19th and 379th bomb Wings, and
Commanding Officer of the 379th Tactical
Hospital. After discharge from the U.S.
Air Force, Dr. Wallenborn completed
residency in Otolaryngology, Head and
Neck Surgery at the University of
Virginia in 1961. Dr. Wallenborn also
served on the Clinical Faculty of the
UVA School of Medicine from 1961-1994,
retiring as Clinical Professor. Among
his numerous community service, Board
and Commission contributions, Dr.
Wallenborn served five terms on the
Charlottesville-Albemarle Joint Airport
Commission; over thirty-three years at
the Martha Jefferson Hospital, including
service as Chief of Medical Staff, Chief
of Surgical Staff and Board of Trustees;
University of Virginia Health Sciences
Foundation Board; National Council of
the Boy Scouts of America; and Eagle
Scout Class of 1946. Among his many
awards and distinctions, Dr. Wallenborn
is a UVA Raven Society and AOA Honorary
Medical Society member; and he is the
recipient of the UVA Medical School
Alumni Association Outstanding Medical
Alumnus Award (1999); the Medical
Society of Virginia “Physician of the
Year Award,” (1990); Medical Society of
Virginia Award; the Distinguished Eagle
Scout Award (1999); and Silver Beaver
Award (1992). He is Past President of
the UVA Medical School Alumni
Association, Virginia Chapter of the
American College of Surgeons and the
Virginia Society of Otolaryngology,
among others. Dr. Wallenborn has been
honored by both the National Society
Sons of the American Revolution and
National Society Daughters of the
American Revolution; and he most
recently served as President of the
Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society in
defense of the great character, ideals
and essential truths of Thomas Jefferson
(
www.TJHeritage.org).
The Fauquier Heritage Institute was
created to promote the study and love of
Virginia and American history. To that
end, the Institute hosts a yearly series
of public lectures that seek to promote
knowledge, understanding and
appreciation of our local, regional and
national history. The Institute welcomes
and encourages all volunteers wishing to
assist with their programs, and may be
contacted at:
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