Carl Ben Eielson portrait

• Main Author: Lee & Co. (Grand Forks, N.D.); Grand Forks (N.D.);
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: North Dakota State University Libraries, Institute for Regional Studies;
• Subjects: People; Transportation; Air pilots; Portraits; Eielson; Carl Benjamin; 1897-1929; Hatton (N.D.); Traill County (N.D.); North Dakota; United States; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Borland; Fairbanks; Grand Forks; McGrath; Norway; Parka; Wilkins; Antarc*; Antarctica; Barrow; Point Barrow; Spitzbergen; Alaska; Siberia
• Online Access: http://cdm16921.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/uw/id/142

Formal portrait of Carl Ben Eielson wearing parka with fur trim, leather cap and goggles on top of cap. Copy photographic prints; Copy print made July 1988 by Institute staff. Image photographer attributed to Lee & Co., Grand Forks, N.D. in the book Brother to the Eagle by Erling N. Rolfsrud. Carl Benjamin Eielson was born at Hatton, N.D. in 1897 where he grew up. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917 and received training in flying. After being mustered out in 1919 he returned to Hatton and was employed at a local mercantile store. While there he organized the Hatton Aero Club and was involved in stunt and passenger flying in North Dakota and Minnesota. After graduating from the University of North Dakota in 1921 he entered Georgetown University pursuing a law degree. In fall 1922 he went to Fairbanks, Alaska as principal of the high school. He continued his flying in Alaska by purchasing a Curtis Airplane. In 1924 he received a contract from the government to fly mail between Fairbanks and McGrath, Alaska. Several years later he would join with Hubert Wilkins and in April 1928 at Point Barrow, Alaska they began their successful, historic flight over the Arctic Ocean to Spitzbergen, Norway. After a homecoming celebration at Hatton on July 21, 1928 Eielson joined Wilkins on another historic flight over Antarctica. Ben Eielson returned to Alaska and in December 1929 he and his mechanic Earl Borland lost their lives attempting to rescue crew and cargo of a ship frozen in the ice off the coast of Siberia, Soviet Union. Their bodies were found in Siberia and Eielson's remains were transported to Hatton, N.D. and buried March 26, 1930.