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| ⚫ | <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Born2Fly.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Cover of Compton's book on William P. Benedict]] -->[[Lt. Colonel]] '''William Pershing Benedict''' (July 20, 1918 – Aug 31, 1974) was an [[United States|American]] [[Aviator|pilot]] who was born in Ruth, Nevada and raised in California. He was a highly decorated World War II fighter pilot who served in both the RCAF and the U.S. Army Air Corps. 18 months after joining the U.S. Army Air Corps, at 26 years of age, Benedict achieved the rank of Major and was made Squadron Commander. He is best known for being the first man to land an aircraft on the North Pole. |
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{{short description|20th-century decorated fighter pilot and polar explorer}} |
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{{Infobox artist |
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| birth_name = William Pershing Benedict |
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1918|07|20|df=y}} |
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| death_date = {{Death date and age|1974|08|31|1918|07|20|df=yes}} |
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}} |
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<!-- Img used under the "fair use" provision. Compton's book is just about the only source on Benedict's life, and, being self-published, hard to get by or to verify. I believe in this case fair use does apply: most of the text of this article is derived from an Italian book review of this work, showing the cover may help people actually find it, and our use of this image certainly does not have any harmful effects to Compton's book sales. Rather the contrary, I might think. --> |
<!-- Img used under the "fair use" provision. Compton's book is just about the only source on Benedict's life, and, being self-published, hard to get by or to verify. I believe in this case fair use does apply: most of the text of this article is derived from an Italian book review of this work, showing the cover may help people actually find it, and our use of this image certainly does not have any harmful effects to Compton's book sales. Rather the contrary, I might think. --> |
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| ⚫ |
'''William Pershing Benedict''' (July 20, 1918 – |
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Benedict joined the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] in July 1940. After training, he was sent to [[Great Britain]] where he flew Spitfires, and was later transferred to [[French Equatorial Africa|North Africa]]. In March 1942 he was assigned to 127 Squadron RAF. He was shot down on July 16, 1942, while flying a [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane]], but parachuted to safety. On December 14, 1942, Benedict transferred to the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he flew [[Curtiss P-40]]s and later [[P-47 Thunderbolt]]s. He returned to the U.S. on leave and married his Canadian fiancée on January 7, 1945. He then returned to Europe for the remainder of the war. |
Benedict joined the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] in July 1940. After training, he was sent to [[Great Britain]] where he flew Spitfires, and was later transferred to [[French Equatorial Africa|North Africa]]. In March 1942 he was assigned to 127 Squadron RAF. He was shot down on July 16, 1942, while flying a [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane]], but parachuted to safety. On December 14, 1942, Benedict transferred to the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he flew [[Curtiss P-40]]s and later [[P-47 Thunderbolt]]s. He returned to the U.S. on leave and married his Canadian fiancée on January 7, 1945. He then returned to Europe for the remainder of the war. |
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==Landing at North Pole== |
==Landing at North Pole== |
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Wanting the Air Force to get credit for the first landing on the North Pole, General Old, Commander of the Alaskan Air Command, asked Major Benedict to take what he needed and command the first flight to land on the North Pole. The historic landing was accomplished on May 3, 1952 in a U.S. Air Force [[C-47 Skytrain|C-47]] modified with skis. Readings taken by the scientists accompanying Benedict and his crew verified that they were the first men to set foot on the exact geographical North Pole. |
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==Post-Air Force years== |
==Post-Air Force years== |
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Benedict retired from the Air Force in 1962 with the rank of |
Benedict retired from the Air Force in 1962 with the rank of Lt Colonel. He then worked as a [[firefighting]] pilot in California where he was killed in a plane crash on August 31, 1974 while flying a [[Grumman F7F Tigercat]] dropping fire retardant in the [[Ukiah, California|Ukiah]] area. |
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==Literature== |
==Literature== |
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*Common, Charles A.: ''Born to Fly: Some Life Sketches of Lieutenant Colonel William H. Benedict'', self-published in 2002; revised in 2006. |
*Common, Charles A.: ''Born to Fly: Some Life Sketches of Lieutenant Colonel William H. Benedict'', self-published in 2002; revised in 2006. |
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*Smith, E.A.W.: ''Benedict's Wars'', Red Leader Press, 2005. {{ISBN|1-885832-37-0}}. |
*Smith, E.A.W.: ''Benedict's Wars'', Red Leader Press, 2005. {{ISBN|1-885832-37-0}}. |
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*Thruelsen, Major Richard and Arnold, Lieutenant Elliot: ''Mediterranean Sweep'', chapter titled, ''The Scroungers'', pg. |
*Thruelsen, Major Richard and Arnold, Lieutenant Elliot: ''Mediterranean Sweep'', chapter titled, ''The Scroungers'', pg. 63-79, Duell, Sloan, and Pearce, 1944. |
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== External links == |
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*[http://www.icsm.it/libri/2gmmediterraneo.html Review] of Compton's book. (In Italian) |
*[http://www.icsm.it/libri/2gmmediterraneo.html Review] of Compton's book. (In Italian) |
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*[https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/1811/5915/1/FletcherTrans.pdf Transcript] of a 1997 interview with Fletcher, mentioning Benedict and the flight to the North Pole. |
*[https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/1811/5915/1/FletcherTrans.pdf Transcript] of a 1997 interview with Fletcher, mentioning Benedict and the flight to the North Pole. |
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*[http://www.arcticwebsite.com/BenedictNPole.html Biography on polar landing site] |
*[http://www.arcticwebsite.com/BenedictNPole.html Biography on polar landing site] |
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*[http://www.ww2fighterpilots.com/excerpts_ben_wars_text.htm Excerpts from ''Benedict's War''] |
*[http://www.ww2fighterpilots.com/excerpts_ben_wars_text.htm Excerpts from ''Benedict's War''] |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Benedict, William Pershing}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benedict, William Pershing}} |
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[[Category:1974 deaths]] |
[[Category:1974 deaths]] |
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[[Category:Explorers of the Arctic]] |
[[Category:Explorers of the Arctic]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:American firefighters]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:American military personnel of World War II]] |
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[[Category:United States Air Force officers]] |
[[Category:United States Air Force officers]] |
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[[Category:Royal Canadian Air Force officers]] |
[[Category:Royal Canadian Air Force officers]] |
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