Lae Airfield crane above the aircraft. The Lae airport is probably best remembered for being the point of departure in July 1937 for Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan on their flight to Howland Island. Earhart's plane disappeared near Howland Island some 19 hours after departing Lae airport. Lae Airfield Lae Airfield is a former World War II airfield and later, civilian airport located at Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. The airport was closed in the 1980s, in favour of Lae Nadzab Airport, which was able to accommodate larger jet aircraft. The airport was known as Lae Drome or Lae Aerodrome
Jerry Noonan Jerry Noonan Gerald Michael Noonan (August 4, 1898 – 1971) was a Fordham All-American who played professional football. "Jerry's" football career included playing at Santa Clara College, Oakland and playing on the Olympic Club Football Team in San Francisco. He played in the National Football League with the Rochester Jeffersons and the New York Brickley Giants (not related to the modern-day New York Giants). His brother George was selected for the Olympic Hockey Team and played in the NFL for Hammond, Indiana. While with Jeffersons in 1924, Noonan became the team's head coach, serving as a player-coach. Prior to joining