Decades later, Earhart’s scarf soars again Published June 24, 2010 By Brandice J. Armstrong Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- An out-of-this-world accomplishment will be celebrated Saturday at the 99s Museum of Woman Pilots in Oklahoma City. The feat began with famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart and ended with a NASA astronaut with an unlikely connection to the lost pilot. In November 2009, more than 70 years after Ms. Earhart set out for her final journey, an attempted circumnavigational flight around the globe, NASA Astronaut and Marine Lt. Col. Randy Bresnik followed through on an idea that would help Ms. Earhart complete her goal. The grandson of Albert Bresnik, Ms. Earhart's personal photographer, he borrowed one of her beloved scarves and brought it with him on his first space mission. "Because of my grandfather's connection to Amelia and our shared love of flight, I always dreamed of honoring her memory in a spectacular way," said Colonel Bresnik. "My grandfather went nearly everywhere with Earhart. Fortunately he wasn't with her on her last flight, or I might not be here today." Having achieved several piloting accomplishments, Ms. Earhart set out to fly around the world. After a failed first attempt in March 1937, she tried again in June. But, about a month and 22,000 miles into her journey, her signal was lost, never to be regained. With roughly 7,000 miles until she completed her mission, it is presumed her plane went down somewhere between the Nukumanu Islands in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean and Howland Island in the North Pacific Island. The islands are approximately 2,000 miles apart. In the months leading up to Colonel Bresnik's November 2009 mission, he contacted the 99s Museum -- which Ms. Earhart helped found -- asking to borrow one of her personal belongings. "A scarf is practical, light, small and it can't get crushed," he said, "[And,] rather than taking up a sports' jersey, it's something that my grandfather saw with his own eyes and took pictures of more than 63 years ago." Carolyn Smith, chairman of the Board of Trustees for the 99s Museum and private pilot, spoke with the colonel and arranged the handoff. "He was very straight-forward, very above-the-board and very legit," she said. "There was no problem and I think Amelia would have been surprised and honored. She just flew because she loved to fly." After straightening out details and signing several official documents, in which the colonel agreed to handle the item with care and Ms. Smith promised not to sell the scarf when it returned from space, Ms. Smith handed him the scarf in an acid-free container. The scarf was later transferred to a vacuum-sealed package and stored in a locker during the flight. And wherever Ms. Earhart's final resting place is, the colonel was just 200 miles above. "This story has wonderful tie-ins. Amelia Earhart is so well-known and there's the mystery of her never-finished around-the-world trip and Alfred Bresnik," Ms. Smith said. "He was supposed to go on the last trip, but they needed the weight in fuel, not another person. And, his grandson is now an astronaut who wanted to pay tribute to both parties. It has all come together; that's what makes it so fascinating." The scarf will be returned to the museum Saturday and a special presentation will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. For more information, call 685-9990 or e-mail museum@ninety-nines.org.