1. Clifford Eugene Phillips Buster

2. On September 18, 1944, Clifford Eugene Phillips “Buster” was on his way home for leave when his plane crashed into Mt. Deception Alaska.

5. A rescue party of 44 brave volunteers set out to locate the wreckage and recover those on board the downed C47 aircraft.

6. The climb was steep and difficult with the slope at 45 degrees in some places.

9. Basin 2 camp.

10. When the search and rescue team found the wreckage it was just piles of metal. The rescue team searched for three days to recover the bodies and only found a few personal effects. None of the remains of the nineteen men aboard the downed C-47 were recovered. The rescue mission lasted 48 days.

11. Part of the wreckage buried in snow.

12. Digging for the C-47

13. Part of the fuselage.

14. Aircraft’s tail.

15. Rescue team going home.

16. 44 Brave Volunteers Grant Pearson, the chief ranger for Mt. McKinley National Park Brad Washburn, director of the Boston Museum of Science Captain Americo R. Peracca, Corps of Engineers and 11th Air Force Land Rescue expert headed the expedition Major John G. Hill, expedition organizer. James A. Ford, mountain climbing expert from the Office of the Quartermaster General in Washington, DC joined the party as a technical advisor Sgt. John M. Greany, Signal Service Corps, became the expedition photographer.

17. Base HQ and Air Base Squadron: Lt. Allen M. Dillman S/Sgt. Donald R. Groll Sgt. James E. Gale Sgt. Karl M. Ivanoff Cpl. Eugene Tetinek Cpl. Eugene V. Hawkins PFC William E. Cook PFC Michael V. Foley PFC Richard D. Huff PFC William R. Harvey Pvt. Elmo G. Fenn Pvt. Donald E. Riley Pvt. Stanley J. Huhndorf Pvt. Andrew A. Wholecheese Pvt. Howard Wilson Pvt. David J. Yatlin

18. Infantry: S/Sgt. Richard O. Manuell Sgt. Michael A. Hanson Sgt. Jack J. Van Zanten PFC Samuel Kakik PFC Tommy Goodwin PFC Jack N. Yokel Engineers: PFC Van H. BallantynePvt. John F. Morrison

19. Hq. Co. AD: T/4 Woodrow W. Page T/4 Charles J. Perricone Cpl. Raymond Conrad Cpl. Joseph C. Rosenauer T/5 Jacob A. Stalker T/5 Fuller S. Thompson T/5 Aden E. Winkelman Pvt. Ivar Skarland Hospital: Capt. George W. MorrisPvt. Wallace W. Atkinson

20. AACS: S/Sgt. Harry O. Kruvand Weather Squadron: S/Sgt Harry P. PierceCpl. Howard Hoffman Base Medical Detachment: T/5 James C. Larsen

21. Rescue Boat Squadron: Pvt. Joseph Britch Remaining Volunteers T/Sgt. Richard D. Nierstheimer Pvt. Len F. Fields Pvt. Joseph Secora

22. 1st. Row: Gale, Wholecheese, Ivanoff, Wilson, Yatlin, Stalker, Kakik, Greany, Ballantyne. 2nd. Row: Hawkins, Fenn, Conrad, Larsen, Van Zanten, Secora, Goodwin. 3rd. Row: Huhndorf, Tetenik, Morrison, Harvey, Foley, Dillman, Manuel. 4th. Row: Yokel, Kruvand, Rosenauer, Pierce, Skarland, Hansen, Peracca, Winkelman, Riley, Hoffman, Nierstheimer, Huff.

23. Grant Pearson, Chief Ranger, McKinley National Park Author of “My Life of High Adventure”

24. Bradford Washburn Director; Boston Museum of Science,mountaineer, Photographer

25. John M. Greany, Expedition Photographer

26. Mike Foley, camp fisherman, supplies dinner for the camp

27. S/Sgt. James E. Gale: Chief NCO, outdoorsman from Anaconda, MT.

28. Ivar Skarland: Professor of Anthropology, Univ.of Alaska Fairbanks.