Saturday, December 16, 2017

Ben Eielson: Pioneer of Alaska Skies

Edna Walker Chandler & Barrett Willoughby.  Pioneer of Alaska Skies.  The Story of Ben Eielson.
 Ginn & Co., 1959.  Illustrated by Ray Quigley.

Ben Eielson was one amazing guy.  According to his Wikipedia entry:

In 1924, he flew the first air mail in Alaska from Fairbanks to McGrath, Alaska in 4 hours, a distance dog sleds took 20 days to cover. He also flew the first air mail from Atlanta to Jacksonville, Florida in 1926.
He and his mechanic Earl Borland died three years later in Siberia while trying to rescue furs and personnel from the Nanuk.

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