Greenland
Ice Cap in Spring of 1959
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Photo by William M. Nichols, 61st TCS Pilot |
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Sondrestrom AB, Greenland. The
second day, each crewmember built himself an individual
"grave-like" shelter called a “fighter trench.” These shelters are made entirely of
snow blocks. They proved to be
more comfortable sleeping quarters than the para-igloo, as the wind caused
the para-igloo canopy roof to bellow which made it somewhat drafty. In the fighter trench one had a
feeling of claustrophobia from the extremely cramped quarters. (Nose to roof distance of about eight
inches.) After this was
overcome, the shelter proved relatively comfortable. The second night the temperature
hovered around 40 degrees Fahrenheit below zero and gale force winds heaped
snow drifts over our dwellings.
But inside we could neither feel nor hear the wind. The temperature rose to a few degrees
below freezing due to the heat emitted from our bodies and one candle. The candle provided more light and
moral support than heat, but it helped.
We had to stay over since the plane couldn't land to pick us up. Caption by Bill
Nichols. (Circa 1959) |
