Mercy Pilot: The Joe Crosson Story

By Dirk Tordoff

Book Overview

Joe Crosson became a national hero between the world wars flying mercy missions in the North, including a dangerous search in a dark Siberian winter for a lost pilot, Carl Ben Eielson, and a bitterly cold winter flight in an open cockpit carrying serum through uncharted mountains to Barrow, Alaska. He was the first pilot to land on a glacier.Thriving on adversity and overcoming tragedy, Crosson is influenced by two strong women in his life -- his sister, Marvel, with whom he shared a love of flying, and Lillian, the beautiful young woman who became his wife. This trio has starlike qualities as well as grit and determination.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0970849370
• ISBN13: 9780970849373
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Epicenter Press (WA)
• Length: 254 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Alaska Aviation

An excellent biography on one of the foremost aviation pioneers in cold weather. The book is both well written and informative, containing many interesting photographs and maps pertaining to the life and career of Joe Crosson. The author gives an intriguing account of the early years of aviation in Alaska and the pacific northwest through the exploits of one of the era's greatest pilots. A good read for anyone interested in aviation or ALaska.

Terrific reading from beginning to end

Mercy Pilot: The Joe Crosson Story is the amazing biography by Dirk Tordoff of one of the most outstanding bush pilots in North America. Here is the impressive story of Joe Crosson whose pioneer work in forging Alaskan air routes, his service in flying mercy missions (including a famous 1929 search in Siberian winter darkness for a lost pilot and friend Carl Ben Eielson) is terrific reading from beginning to end. Black-and-white photographs enrich the descriptive text of a great flyer's achievements in this captivating biographical portrait, which is also a very strongly recommended addition to personal and academic Aviation Studies supplemental reading lists.

A real Alaskan story told by a real Alaskan

Mercy Pilot, the Joe Crosson Story is an enjoyable step into the early world of aviation. The book paints a facinating story from the point in 1913 that Joe and his sister Marvel first decide to become flyers, through Joe's early flights in Alaska, the Arctic and the Antarctic, his marriage to Lillian and family years, to building an airline that ultimately connected Alaska with the continental 48 states, to the contribution he made to pilots in World War II. Joe's love of flying was not dampened by the loss of his sister Marvel nor many good friends in crashes (including famous pilot Wiley Post). The reader learns what level of ability and courage it took to fly in a land with no maps, navigation aids, nor even runways in the 1920s and 1930s. In addition, the book is full of outstanding photographs showing people, places and planes of the era. Appendices illustrate the evolution of airlines in Alaska and list planes flown by Crosson. Tordoff's knowlege and love of Alaska, aviation and history are neatly blended into a great read.