William Pershing Benedict
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel
William Pershing Benedict (1928 – August 31, 1974) was an American
pilot
from California
. He is best known for having made the first aircraft landing at the North Pole
.
in July 1940. He received his wings as an RCAF fighter pilot on July 29, 1941.
Benedict was sent to Great Britain
for advanced training, but was soon transferred to French Equatorial Africa
. In March 1942 he was assigned to 127 Squadron RAF, based at Haifa
, Palestine
(now in Israel
). He was shot down on July 16, 1942, while flying a Hurricane
, but parachuted to safety. On December 15, 1942, Benedict was transfer to the USAAF, where he flew Curtiss P-40
s and later P-47 Thunderbolt
s. He returned to the U.S. on leave in December, 1944, and married his Canadian fiancee. He then returned to Europe for the remainder of the war.
After the war, Benedict was stationed in Alaska
. Because of his excellent record as a pilot and flight instructor, he was offered the chance to make the first polar landing. He promptly accepted.
modified to have skis and wheels. They became the first to land a plane on May 3, 1952, and (together with scientist Albert P. Crary
) were the first persons to set foot on the exact geographical North Pole.
He was killed in a plane crash on August 31, 1974, while flying a Grumman F7F twin engine fighter dropping fire retardant in the Ukiah
area of California.
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
William Pershing Benedict (1928 – August 31, 1974) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He is best known for having made the first aircraft landing at the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
.
Early life
Benedict tried to join U.S. Army Air Force for pilot training, but was rejected because of his modest education. Instead, he joined the Royal Canadian Air ForceRoyal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
in July 1940. He received his wings as an RCAF fighter pilot on July 29, 1941.
Benedict was sent to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
for advanced training, but was soon transferred to French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...
. In March 1942 he was assigned to 127 Squadron RAF, based at Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
(now in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
). He was shot down on July 16, 1942, while flying a Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
, but parachuted to safety. On December 15, 1942, Benedict was transfer to the USAAF, where he flew Curtiss P-40
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
s and later P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
s. He returned to the U.S. on leave in December, 1944, and married his Canadian fiancee. He then returned to Europe for the remainder of the war.
After the war, Benedict was stationed in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. Because of his excellent record as a pilot and flight instructor, he was offered the chance to make the first polar landing. He promptly accepted.
Landing at North Pole
Benedict flew with Lt. Col. Joseph Otis Fletcher as his co-pilot in a U.S. Air Force C-47C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
modified to have skis and wheels. They became the first to land a plane on May 3, 1952, and (together with scientist Albert P. Crary
Albert P. Crary
Albert Paddock Crary , was a pioneer polar geophysicist and glaciologist. He made it to the North and then to the South Pole on February 12, 1961 as the leader of a team of eight. The south pole expedition had set out from McMurdo Station on December 10, 1960, using three Snowcats with trailers...
) were the first persons to set foot on the exact geographical North Pole.
Post-Air Force years
Benedict retired from the Air Force in 1962 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He then worked as a firefighting pilot in California.He was killed in a plane crash on August 31, 1974, while flying a Grumman F7F twin engine fighter dropping fire retardant in the Ukiah
Ukiah, California
The average high temperature is 73.5 °F . Average low temperature is 46.1 °F . Temperatures reach 90 °F on an average of 65.6 days annually and 100 °F on an average of 14.4 days annually. Due to frequent low humidity, summer temperatures normally drop into the fifties at night. Freezing...
area of California.
Literature
- Compton, Charles B.: Born to Fly: Some Life Sketches of Lieutenant Colonel William P. Benedict, self-published in 2002; revised in 2006.
- Smith, E.A.W.: Benedict's Wars, Red Leader Press, 2005. ISBN 1-885832-37-0.
- Thruelsen, Major Richard and Arnold, Lieutenant Elliot: Mediterranean Sweep, chapter titled, The Scroungers, pg. 63-79, Duell, Sloan, and Pearce, 1944.
External links
- Firefighters' Memorial Wall listing William P. Benedict.
- Review of Compton's book. (In Italian)
- Transscript of a 1997 interview with Fletcher, mentioning Benedict and the flight to the North Pole.
- Biography on polar landing site
- Excerpts from Benedict's War