A Famous flight into Presque Isle

On the 22nd of June an old P-38 war bird will fly into Presque Isle, land and present itself to the viewing public.
This P-38 Lightning isn’t any old ordinary P-38, not at all. It’s one of a small handful of P-38s which still are airworthy and only one of two still flying the skies. But beyond the numbers, the old war bird has an extraordinary history. Once buried beneath 268 feet of ice and snow for 50 years, the aircraft now is healthy, in factory-made condition and is being shown around the nation. But this presentation on the 22nd simply isn’t an ordinary exhibition of an aging war bird restored to its formal glory – there are many of those. No, this one is one of a kind with a story behind it you’ll have a tough time believing.
      The story is tied to Presque Isle. This epic event – actually, a series of events – begins in the midsummer of 1942 seven months after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The Roosevelt White House had promised to supply the Allies with war material in order to defeat Nazi Germany. Part of this plan to supply was known as Operation Bolero. This operation would provide a massive buildup and movement of Allied aircraft into the European theatre. The most daring aspect of Operation Bolero was the actual flight overseas in stages. Leaving the U.S. – Presque Isle being the closest point of the U.S. to Europe – the trip would be made in several hops in order to refuel: Goose Bay, Newfoundland; Greenland; Reykjavik, Iceland; and finally on to the coast of Scotland. Both squads consisting of eight P-38s and two B-17s departed Presque Isle Army Air Base in the early days of July, 1942.
Bad weather ensued as the planes left the refueling base on Greenland. This forced the crews to climb a few thousand feet to avoid the dense cloud coverage, but as they rose, temperatures dropped to minus 10 degrees. Ninety minutes from Iceland, the planes hit yet another cloud mass forcing them to climb even higher. Although only an hour away from Reykjavik, the cold temperatures were unsustainable and, besides, the base had been closed due to bad weather. This forced them now to turn back to the base from which they had departed on Greenland. It, too, was now closed due to the same bad weather.
With fuel running low and freezing temperatures, the decision to land was made for all. One by one the P-38 pilots brought their planes down, as the two B-17s remained aloft for another half hour, expending their remaining fuel. Having made successful forced landings on the southeast coast of Greenland – all  miraculously survived – the job at hand was survival and rescue. After several days on the ice, a Morse code message was received by radio operators; their condition and location was confirmed. That day C-47 transport planes dropped supplies. A 30-foot wooden launch was dispatched and, after landing, a ski and dogsled team was sent out for rescue. Several hours later a Coast Guard cutter arrived. They were returned to a base on the southern tip of Greenland, debriefed and later sent back to the U.S. for new assignments.
Over the years, the planes were buried beneath 260 feet of snow and ice. In 1992 a decision was made to retrieve one of the P-38s despite the tremendous effort it would require for recovery. The project would also require millions of dollars. Workers painstakingly removed the plane in eleven pieces from 260 feet of snow and ice. The removal was accomplished by creating ice caves, starting with a 4-foot hole in diameter. Five more holes were cut and then connected to get the largest parts out.
Ten years and $5 million later, ‘Glacier Girl,’ as she has now so been intimately named, comprises 80 percent original parts. The remaining parts were custom-made. The plane made its maiden voyage in October of 2002.
According to Nate Grass, a founding father of the P.I. Air Museum, Glacier Girl will re-fly its original intended route to England beginning in California on June 16. The aircraft is scheduled to arrive at PQI on the 22nd between 2 and 4 p.m. This famous one-of-a-kind plane will be accompanied by a small handful of other aircraft including a P-51 Mustang. A production crew, perhaps from the History Channel, will be present to document this historic re-enactment of the flight of the Glacier Girl. The general public is cordially invited to view the Glacier Girl and the other aircraft. Please note that the viewing will take place behind the General Aviation building. It’s possible that the crew members will be available also. Especially welcomed are the veterans who have so faithfully served their country.