Carl Ben Eielson: The Arctic Flyer

In this installment of ‘Profiles in History, we learn about the man who made the first flight across the Arctic Ocean.

Lt. Carl Ben Eielson, Alaskan aviator and Arctic explorer in the early 20th century. Public Domain

Carl Ben Eielson (1897–1929) was one of eight, possibly nine, children born to Norwegian immigrant parents. He grew up in the small town of Hatton, North Dakota. Of course, most towns in North Dakota were small, as it had been the Dakota Territory for less than eight years before Eielson’s birth. In fact, Hatton remains very small with a population of less than 1,000.

Eielson had an interest in aviation, but was encouraged to study law. He attended the University of North Dakota and then the University of Wisconsin. When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, Eielson quit school to become a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Service. He was trained at March Air Force Base in Riverside, California. In 1918, Eielson was preparing to enter the fray in Europe as a second lieutenant until the Armistice of Nov. 11, 1918 ended the war. Eielson remained at the base and earned his wings in 1919.

Flying for Alaska

Eielson returned to North Dakota with a passion for flying. While finishing his degree at the University of North Dakota, he convinced several businessmen to invest in the purchase of a biplane, the Curtiss JN-4, known as the “Jenny.” While barnstorming through the midwest, Eielson crashed the plane. The business venture over, he returned to his studies, this time in Washington at Georgetown University. While studying law and paying for tuition as a congressional guard, Eielson made the acquaintance of Daniel Sutherland, the representative for the Alaska Territory.