SEATTLE, – On Jan. 15, author and mountaineer Peter Stekel will tell the remarkable story of a mysterious 1942 military plane crash that did not begin to unfold until decades later, when the mummified remains of an airman in a World War II uniform–and with an unopened parachute–were found entombed in ice in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. The Museum presentation is based upon Stekel’s 2010 book, “Final Flight – The Mystery of a World War II Plane Crash and the Frozen Airmen in the High Sierra.” Stekel’s story is a gripping account that’s part mystery, part history, and part personal journey to uncover the truth of what happened on an ill-fated military flight in 1942. The lecture is at 2 p.m., and is free with admission to the Museum. Stekel will field questions from the audience and sign books following the program.
In 2005, two mountaineers climbing above a glacier in the High Sierra found what soon became known in the media as the “frozen airman.” Stekel became fascinated with the story and began his own investigation into what happened to the four-man, U.S. Army Air Forces crew who disappeared with their Beech 18 AT-7 Navigator on a routine navigation training flight in 1942. His quest led him to the mountains, where in 2007 he discovered a second body in the glacier. The identities of the pilot and three air cadets on the crash are now known. Two crewmen have yet to be found.
“An invigorated appreciation of the dedication of the men and women of the Greatest Generation.” -Michael Sledge, author of “Soldier Dead: How We Recover, Identify, Bury, and Honor Our Military Fallen.”
“Peter Stekel has captured the history, geography, and the mystery surrounding this inspiring tale of the High Sierra.” -G. Pat Macha, author of “Aircraft Wrecks in the Mountains and Deserts of California.”
For more information, please see: http://www.finalflightthebook.com/
The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field half-way between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors 65 and older, $10 for active military, $8 for youth 5 to 17, and free for children under 5. Group rates are available. Admission on the first Thursday of the month is free from 5 to 9 p.m. courtesy of Wells Fargo.
For general Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org