Editing Joseph O. Fletcher

{{Short description|U.S. Air Force pilot and polar explorer (1920–2008)}}

{{Infobox person | name =Joseph Otis Fletcher | image =Joseph O. Fletcher mask.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1920|5|16}} | birth_place =[[Ryegate, Montana]], US | death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|7|6|1920|5|16}} | death_place =[[Sequim, Washington]], US | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | nationality = | other_names = | known_for =[[Polar explorer]] | education =[[University of Oklahoma]]<br>[[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]<br>[[University of Alaska]] (Ph.D. 1979) | employer = | occupation = | title = | networth = | height = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | party = | boards = | spouse ={{marriage|Caroline Sisco Howard|1949}} | partner = | children = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Joseph Otis Fletcher''' (May 16, 1920 &ndash; July 6, 2008) was an American [[U.S. Air Force|Air Force]] [[aviator|pilot]] and [[polar explorer]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://sharpgary.org/JOF%20Obituary.doc |title=Joseph Otis Fletcher |quote=Joseph Fletcher was born outside of Ryegate, Montana, on May 16, 1920 the son of Clarence Bert Fletcher and Margaret Mary Mathers. ... |url-status=live |access-date=2012-11-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128010053/http://sharpgary.org/JOF%20Obituary.doc |archive-date=November 28, 2010 }}</ref>

He was born outside of [[Ryegate, Montana]] on May 16, 1920, to Clarence Bert Fletcher. The family moved to [[Oklahoma]] during the [[Dust Bowl]].<ref name=obit/>

Fletcher started studying at the [[University of Oklahoma]] and then continued his studies in [[meteorology]] at [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]. After graduation, he entered the [[U.S. Army Air Corps]] and eventually became the deputy commanding officer of the [[4th Weather Group]], United States Air Force, stationed in Alaska.<ref>{{cite news |title=Meteorologists To Hear Colonel |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1682391652.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+18%2C+1952&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Meteorologists+To+Hear+Colonel&pqatl=google |quote=Joseph O. Fletcher, deputy commanding officer of the 4th Weather Group, United States Air Force, will address the first meeting of the Baltimore chapter of the ... |newspaper=[[Baltimore Sun]] |date=September 18, 1952 |access-date=2012-11-24 }}</ref>

On March 19, 1952, his team landed with a [[C-47 Skytrain|C-47]] aircraft, modified to have both wheels and skis, on a tabular [[iceberg]] in the Arctic Ocean and established a weather station there, which remained staffed for 22 years before the iceberg broke up.<ref>{{cite book |author=Mark Nuttall |author-link=Mark Nuttall |title=Encyclopedia of the Arctic |year=2012 |publisher=Routledge |quote=The history of US drifting stations began with the T3 station, set up on an ice island in March 1952 by Joseph O. Fletcher of ... | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LcucDSk4w3YC&q=Joseph++Fletcher+polar&pg=PA512 |isbn= 9781579584368}}</ref> The station was initially known just as "T-3" but soon was renamed "[[Fletcher's Ice Island]]".

On May 3, 1952, pilot [[William P. Benedict]] and Fletcher as co-pilot<ref>The original article in ''[[The Polar Times]]'' stated that Fletcher was the pilot, but in the Fall/Winter 1997 issue of the ''[[Polar Times]]'', following a personal communication from Mr. Fletcher, a correction appeared stating that Benedict had been in charge of that flight. This is also confirmed by the interview Brian Shoemaker conducted with Fletcher in 1997 (link below).</ref> flew that plane to the [[North Pole]], along with scientist [[Albert P. Crary]], to become the first Americans to land and set foot on the exact geographic [[North Pole]]. Unknown to Fletcher and his team, a [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] expedition had previously landed three [[Lisunov Li-2]]s at the pole on April 23, 1948.<ref>[http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/resources/infosheets/21.html Concise chronology of approach to the poles], Scott Polar Research Institute</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = The Oddest Place on Earth: Rediscovering the North Pole|last = Pala|first = Christopher|publisher = iUniverse|year = 2002|isbn = 9780595214549|location = Lincoln, Nebraska|pages = 227–228|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NRc7h5gisY8C&q=Fletcher}}</ref>

He died on July 6, 2008, in [[Sequim, Washington]] at age 88.<ref name=obit/> He was buried in [[Resthaven Memorial Park]] in [[Shawnee, Oklahoma]].

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II]]

[[Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni]]

[[Category:University of Oklahoma alumni]]

[[Category:University of Alaska alumni]]