Carl Ben Eielson
By Frank Holzhey
Portrait #1
Portrait #2
Near a crash landed plane
Portrait #3
Youth
- Ben was an American aviator born in 1897
- His parents were Norwegian immigrants
- He was raised in Hatton, North Dakota
- At a young age he went into the military to fight in WWI
- He was in the Army Air service because of his love for flying
- A month or so before he went to France on deployment the war ended
- He got his Lieutenant bars and was discharged the same day
- He enrolled in law school in 1921
- He went to present day Georgetown University.
- He worked as a part-time police officer at the capitol.
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School
A mix of picture telling of Carl
Carl near a bi-plane
Adulthood
- In the time he spent in Washington he befriended with an Alaskan representative in congress
- He was offered a job at a high school in Fairbanks, Alaska
- He then started to fly a plane to and from the northern area with mail and supplies
- His company got a contract to fly mail to fairbanks, but after a crash the contract was terminated
- After the crash he went back to the military and was stationed at Langley Field, Virginia
Flying career
- Known as the 'Father of Aviation'
- He Piloted the first airmail rout in 1924
- He later became friends with Captain George Hubert Wilkins
- The two flew over the North Pole.
- The North Pole trip was a total of 2,200 miles.
- Carl later accompanied Wilkins to a few Antarctic routes as well.
Carl Ben Eielson
Late life & Legacy
- He died in 1929.
- He died trying to rescue both crew and cargo of a ship named The Nanuk
- His body was found in 1930 and was buried in Hatton ND.
- Has an Airbase, Ship, and visitor center name after him.
- There is a museum, Hatton-Eielson Museum, in Hatton ND dedicated to him.
- The museum was Carl's childhood home.
Few Facts about his home
- Is now a museum
- Was built in 1900
- Located along highway 18
- Was his Childhood home.
EIELSON A.F.B., Alaska
Was designated on January 13, 1948.
SS Carl B. Eielson
This may have not been the ship but was the correct ship class (Liberty).
Ben Eielson stands in the cockpit of the Lockheed Vega
Probably wrong (Wikipedia)
Only used for childhood/young adult life.