Word: eielson
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Dates: during 1926-1926
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Wilkins. After 13 ominous days without word from Captain Wilkins and Pilot Ben Eielson, the supporting party of the Detroit Arctic Expedition, at Fairbanks, finally picked up faint radio signals. It was Operator Waskey of the expedition's overland sledging party, calling from Point Barrow, which he had just reached by forced marches. Wilkins and Eielson were?the signals were very faint?were there, safe, in a fur-trader's comfortable cabin. They had reached Point Barrow the day of their last departure from Fairbanks, after a hairbreadth escape in the cloud-hung Endicott Mountains. Heavy-laden, the monoplane Alaskan...
...took the air in search of the missing plane but was soon forced back by motor trouble. His last orders from Captain Wilkins had been to pick up and move their base from Fairbanks to Barrow as soon as possible and to come searching for him and Pilot Ben Eielson if their radio stayed unheard...
Wilkins. Safely returned to Fairbanks after their fourth hop over the 560 miles of desolate northern Alaska between Fairbanks and their advanced base, Point Barrow, Captain George H. Wilkins and Pilot Ben Eielson took on a load of freight heavier than ever-4,200 Ib. of fuel and food-and soared northward again. This time their radio was silent for hours that stretched into two days. The men in Fairbanks hoped it was only a wrist Wilkins had sprained during the second round-trip that was preventing him from operating the monoplane Alaskan's wireless outfit...
Going south again they had not navigated (used instruments) but had piloted their plane by "familiar" landmarks remembered from the trip up. A buffeting headwind threw their calculations off a lot, and when they reached the Yukon they were far to the east of their course. Eielson had recognized Circle City; they had descended to refuel and pass the night...
...Alaskan with dogmeat and gasoline and prepared to fly back over the towering Brooks range (6,000 feet and more). A wireless from the Colville River announced Smith's return to camp with reindeer meat. Wilkins shipped the relief food, piled on more gasoline and flew at once with Eielson ? carrying 3,800 lb. of fuel to start supplying the Barrow base for their major polar flights. The same afternoon he flashed a report of their safe landing...