Harold Gillam, one of Alaska's first bush pilots

Harold Gillam achieved legend status in his lifetime. One of Alaska's first bush pilots, he achieved fame for flying in conditions that kept others on the ground. When he did crack up, everyone on the plane walked away without a scratch. Old time Alaskans noted with a touch of awe that "Thrill 'em, Spill 'em, No-Kill 'em Gillam" never lost a passenger.

That changed on Jan. 5, 1943, on a flight from Seattle to Annette when, unable to make radio contact with the airport, ice building on the wings and one engine down, his Lockheed Electra 10 crashed in remote wilderness southeast of Ketchikan.

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