Leon Crane

Leon Crane (August 5, 1919 – March 26, 2002), a native of Philadelphia, was an American Army Air Corps lieutenant who was stationed at Ladd Field in Alaska during World War II. During a routine test flight on December 21, 1943, the B-24 Liberator Crane was copiloting experienced engine failure, causing the plane to crash into a mountaintop overlooking the Charley River. Of the crew of five, Crane was the only survivor, having managed to bail out in time. Crane then was able to survive for 84 days in the Alaskan wilderness with only some matches, a Boy Scout knife and his parachute, before reaching a nearby mining camp.

B-24 incident and survival

Plane crash

In the early morning of December 21, 1943, Crane was co-piloting a B-24 (#42-40910) from Ladd field on a routine test flight. With him was pilot Second Lieutenant Harold "Hos" Hoskin, flight engineer Richard Pompeo, radio operator Ralph Wenz (for whom Ralph Wenz Field is named), as well as James E. Seibert. Wenz had enough time to radio that their engine had failed and that they were in a spin, but not enough time to radio their location. While Hos and Crane were able to break out of the spin, it sent them straight into a nosedive from which they could not recover. Crane had just enough time to bail out before the plane dived into the side of a mountain near the Charley River in a ball of flame.

Survival As Crane landed hip-deep in snow he repeatedly called "Ho!" loudly but did not get a response. Having no food or idea of his whereabouts, he began descending to the river below. Crane had only three survival tools—a Boy Scout knife, two packs of matches, and his parachute. Pompeo's remains were not found (reportedly he was last seen parachuting drifting over a ridge).

Later life Not much is known about Crane after he retired from the Army Air Force after World War II. After returning home to Philadelphia, Crane became an aeronautical engineer, helping to design some of the first helicopters.