On Aug. 5, 1938, the U.S. Navy called off the search for a missing Pan Am passenger plane, the Hawaii Clipper. The plane was one of three Martin M-130 Flying Boats that flew routes in the Pacific. On July 29, 1938, Pan Am Flight 229, a regularly scheduled service between San Francisco and Manila, failed to respond to radio calls about four hours after taking off from Guam. On board were six passengers and a crew of nine, including the steward-purser, Ivan Parker, a 1918 graduate of Placer High School.
Much like the disappearance of Amelia Earhart the year before, the legacy of the lost Hawaii Clipper is shrouded in conspiracy. At the time of both disappearances, Japan was expanding its territory in the Pacific through a series of aggressive actions. This led some to conclude that Japan had something to do with the lost aircraft. In his 1980 book “China Clipper,” author Ronald Jackson speculated that two Japanese officers snuck onboard the Hawaii Clipper while it was docked in Guam and hijacked it. A motive for the hijacking, according to Jackson, was the $3 million carried by Wah Sun Choy, a Chinese American passenger on the flight. The money was to be used by China to aid in its defense against Japan.
Conspiracies aside, when the pilot of the Hawaii Clipper last communicated by radio, he reported rain static. They were flying through a thunderstorm. Ultimately, we may never know what happened to the Hawaii Clipper.
The Pacific Ocean is unimaginably vast and very deep; it can hold a secret for a long, long time.
Photo: Ivan Parker’s Placer High School photo c. 1918
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 Whether it’s representing your community or sharing your expertise on topics like agriculture or parks, there are always opportunities for you to help advise county leaders on the issues that matter to you most. Recruitment is open now to fill seats on the following committees or commissions, among others. Learn more and apply
Current recruitments include:
Current recruitments include:
 Don’t miss the fun coming this next week in...
Roseville: Music in the Park, Food Truck Mania
Rocklin: Toddler Time, Preschool Storytime
Lincoln: Grammar Club, Back to School Pencil Pouch Party, Virtual Mystery Book Club, Family Storytime
Loomis: Summer Concert Series, Preschool Storytime, What's the Buzz About Pollinators?
Auburn: Preschool Storytime, Baby Lapsit, Toddler Time, Cruise Nite, Celebrating 110 years, BriarPatch Food Co-op Celebrates Auburn Store’s 2nd Birthday, Auburn Community Blood Drive
Colfax: Preschool Storytime, Baby Lapsit, Colfax Farmers Market
North Lake Tahoe: Concerts at Commons Beach: Boot Juice, Baby Lapsit, Preschool Storytime, Tahoe City Farmers Market, Truckee Thursdays, Concours d’Elegance-Wooden Boat Show, SunSets Live Music Series at Palisades Tahoe, Music on the Beach - Kings Beach, Summer Music Series and Roller Skating, Live at the Launch Music On Monday Nights, Bluesdays Concert Series at Palisades Tahoe, First Street Yoga at Palisades Tahoe, Music in the Park, Truckee
...and many Placer County Library and Placer County Museum events.
Visit our regional partners to discover more of the fun happening right here in Placer County!
Placer County Visitors' Bureau
North Tahoe Community Alliance
Tahoe City Downtown Association
The Arts Council of Placer County
Placer Valley Tourism
PlacerGROWN
Placer Wine Trail
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