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World War II is full of survival stories, but there is one particularly harrowing one – set in winter – that wasn’t fully told until recently.
It involves an American pilot named Leon Crane who crashed during the middle of frigid temperatures in the Yukon wilderness, and then survived alone for 81 days in snowy, icy, dark conditions even though all he had was his parachute, matches and a Boy Scout knife. His incredible story is now the subject of a book, “81 Days Below Zero,” and the author, Brian Murphy, joins us on this week’s edition of Off The Grid Radio.
Crane’s inspiring tale is one that anyone who loves history or stories of survival can learn from. In fact, it’s a story that would be unbelievable if it weren’t actually true; Crane, after all, was a “city boy” with very few skills, but had enough instincts to make it through the 11-plus weeks.
Murphy tells us:
- How Crane survived the first week in the wilderness without finding any food.
- How he determined which direction to walk, even though he had no compass or map.
- How his parachute played a critical role in his survival.
- How he stayed alive after falling into frigid waters.
- How he survived in an area that was receiving only about four hours of light each day.
- How he kept his spirits up, despite not seeing anyone for nearly three months.
Finally, Murphy shares with us how Crane’s survival story – and others like it – changed the way the military trains its personnel. Don’t miss this episode if you’re a lover of history or amazing stories, or simply someone who wants to learn new skills!
