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History
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Thirteen Days on the Ice: The Harrowing True Story of the 1946 PBM Mariner Crash in Antarctica
In 1946, a U.S. Navy plane crashed during Operation Highjump, stranding six crewmen in Antarctica. For 13 agonizing days, they battled extreme cold and dwindling hope before a dramatic rescue. This is their incredible story of survival against all odds on the frozen continent.
In the vast, silent expanse of Antarctica, a continent of ice and unforgiving winds, the crumpled wreckage of a plane serves as a stark monument to one of history's most gripping survival tales. It is the final resting place of the George 1, a U.S. Navy PBM Mariner flying boat that crashed on December 30, 1946. For the six men who survived the impact, the crash was only the beginning of a 13-day ordeal against the deadliest forces of nature.
An Ambitious Mission Meets Disaster
The story begins with Operation Highjump, the largest Antarctic expedition in history. Launched by the United States Navy in 1946, its mission was to establish an American research base and map the coastline. Among the fleet's aircraft was the PBM-5 Mariner George 1, piloted by Lieutenant Commander James C. Robbins. On December 30, while on a photographic mapping mission, the crew flew into a blinding "whiteout"—a disorienting weather condition where the sky and snow-covered ground blend into one, erasing the horizon.
Flying blind, Robbins unknowingly descended. The plane's wingtip clipped the ice, sending the massive aircraft cartwheeling across the desolate landscape before it broke apart and burst into flames. Of the nine men aboard, three were tragically killed in the impact. Six men, including Robbins and co-pilot William Kearns, survived, thrown from the wreckage into the numbing cold of the Antarctic interior.
Survival in the White Hell
Miraculously, the fire that consumed their aircraft also saved them. Huddled near the burning wreckage for warmth, the survivors began a desperate fight for their lives. The temperature hovered around -20°F (-29°C), and the relentless wind made it feel even colder. Their first task was to salvage whatever they could from the smoldering debris. They recovered sleeping bags, a few canisters of food, a small camp stove, and, crucially, parachute silk.
With remarkable ingenuity, they fashioned a makeshift tent by draping the parachute silk over a portion of the wrecked fuselage, creating a fragile shelter against the elements. They rationed their meager food supply, which included canned peaches, baked beans, and chocolate. To stretch their resources, they melted snow for drinking water using the stove and empty food tins. Every day was a battle for morale. The men established a routine, took turns on watch, and tried to keep their spirits up, knowing that their only hope was a rescue that might never come.
A Glimmer of Hope and a Daring Rescue
Back at the main expedition base, the George 1 was declared missing. A massive search effort was launched, but the sheer scale of Antarctica made finding the tiny wreck site seem impossible. For days, search planes crisscrossed the ice, finding nothing. The survivors, meanwhile, used a signal mirror and occasionally burned an oil-soaked piece of cloth, hoping to attract attention.
On January 11, 1947, nearly two weeks after the crash, their prayers were answered. A fellow PBM Mariner, piloted by Captain Roy "Trigger" Caldwell, spotted the glint of wreckage against the snow. The challenge now was how to rescue them. Landing a large plane on the treacherous, uneven ice was out of the question. Caldwell located a patch of open water, an ice-free polynya, about five miles away. In an act of incredible airmanship, he landed his PBM in the water.
The survivors, weak but determined, made the arduous five-mile trek to the rescue plane. They were finally safe. After 13 days stranded on the ice, their ordeal was over. The story of their survival is a powerful testament to human resilience, ingenuity, and the unyielding will to live in the face of impossible odds. The wreckage of the George 1 remains on the Antarctic ice to this day, a silent memorial to the men who were lost and the six who fought their way back to life.