Mercy Pilot

<p>Joe Crosson a brave and skilled pilot became a national hero between the world wars flying mercy missions in the North. He pioneered</p><p>air routes throughout Alaska and foresaw the future of commercial aviation. Above all else he loved to fly.</p><p>In 1929 Crosson generated newspaper headlines worldwide flying a long dangerous and unprecedented search in the Siberian</p><p>winter darkness for a lost pilot and friendCarl Ben Eielson. Crosson made a bitterly cold winter flight in an open-cockpit carrying</p><p>life-saving serum to Barrow flying through the uncharted Brooks Range without navigation or communication. He was the first pilot to land</p><p>on a glacier. He had the sad duty of bringing the bodies Wiley Post and Will Rogers Jr. back from their fatal crash in northern Alaska.</p><p>Crosson thrived on adversity and overcame tragedy and was influenced by two extraordinary women-his sister Marvel a contemporary of Amelia Earhart and Lillian Osborne the beautiful and able young woman who became his wife.</p>