Polar Pilot: The Carl Ben Eilson Story - Hardcover

Drache, Hiram Dr.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0813429366 ISBN 13: 9780813429366

Publisher: Hobar Publications, 1992

Synopsis

This is a story of the one of America's unsung heroes in the field of aviation-Carl Ben Eielson. Eielson grew up in an upper-middle-class family in Hatton, North Dakota, and was endowed with sufficient talent to make a comfortable living in any career he desired. Since early in life he dreamed of nothing but flying.
After being trained as a military pilot in World War I, he spent two years as a barnstormer in the upper Midwest. In the fall of 1922 he went to Alaska to teach school and at once saw the need for aerial transportation in that massive, uncharted land of isolated settlements. In 1923 he flew the first airmail flight in interior Alaska, which made him an instant hero to all Alaskans, who were accustomed to waiting for months between mail deliveries. In 1924 he flew the first airmail flight under government contract between Fairbanks, Nenana, and McGrath.
His fame as a pioneer bush pilot enabled him to win the pilot's position with Sir Hubert Wilkins, and the two thrilled the world with their flight from Barrow to Spitzbergen and later with their flights in the Atlantic.
In 1929, at age 32, Eielson met death while on a flight over the frozen wastes of Siberia. A 100-day, three-nation search kept his name before the public in 1929-30, but exploits and contributions have all been forgotten.

About this title

About the Author:

After serving in the Air Force as a combat navigator on bombing missions in the European Theater of Operations of World War II, Hiram Drache earned degrees at Gustavus Adolphus College, the Unversity of Minnesota, and the University of North Dakota. During his college years he worked in the family truck line and other businesses and later taught high school. He married Ada Nelson in 1948 and in 1950 the couple purchased their first farm. They were involved in farming until 1981 when the home farm was sold and the others were leased out. He started his career at Concordia College in 1952 and in 1991 became Historian-in-Residence. He has written fifteen books and has contributed to eight others. He has also written more than fifty articles chiefly on contemporary agriculture and/or agricultural history. That writing lead to a speaking career with over 1,000 engagements in thirty-six states, the District of Columbia, six provinces in Canada, plus Australia, Germany and Norway.

About this edition

• Publisher: Hobar Publications
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0813429366
• ISBN 13: 9780813429366
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 432