Frank Aliberti

Biography

Explorer/geographer George Hubert Wilkins (1894-1958) was a pioneer in polar exploration, making ten trips to Arctic and Antarctic regions by submarine and by airplane. His career as a polar explorer began in 1913 when he joined the Canadian government's Stefansson Arctic expedition. He is perhaps best-known for his 2100 mile, 21 hour flight with Lt. Ben Eilson from Point Barrow to Spitsbergen (1928), for which accomplishment he was knighted by King George V. Wilkins also led the Wilkins-Hearst Expedition to the Antarctic, in the course of which he discovered many details of Antarctic geography. Following his career as a polar explorer, Sir Hubert Wilkins became a civilian consultant to the U.S. Army in matters relating to polar and desert regions. This collection was apparently compiled by a Mrs. Lura B. Shreck, who may have been a secretary to Wilkins.