Hearts of Courage in Utah

Artic journey goes on air for all to hear By Laura Nordstrom - 13 Jan 2009

Joseph Tippets faced impossible odds in rescuing fellow passengers of a plane crash in the Alaskan territory 66 years ago, and now his story will be told on BYU Television this week. "LDS Lives: Hearts of Courage" features the famous 1943 plane crash rescue in Alaska this Thursday at 9 a.m. and Monday, at 4 p.m. After reading the story, Dean Stephen Jones of Brigham Young University's College of Fine Arts and Communications met with Tippets' son John and sent the idea to BYU Broadcasting. It is a story of bravery and faith, but also represents the love of family. "It is a love story of my mother and dad," Tippets said. "But it is also a story of the love that my siblings and I have for our parents." The story begins in Anchorage, Alaska, where Tippets sat thinking of his expectant wife and two children, anticipating his arrival home. The territory was having its worst winter in 100 years, and as Tippets began his departure, the plane was already accumulating ice. Several hours into the flight, the left engine lost power and with the added weight of the ice, the right engine could not maintain altitude. The last radio contact was, "One engine has conked out, expect trouble." After slamming through trees, losing its right wing and destroying the fuselage, the plane crashed into a deep gully and was buried by a tree. The six passengers survived, but were completely hidden from view. It was up to Tippets and passenger Percy Cutting to find their way through the storm and harsh Alaskan wilderness to rescue their fellow passengers. John Tippets said in a press release, "I recently listened again to a recording of a fireside given by Dad where he said one possible reason his life was spared by his Father in Heaven was so he could tell this story to others and increase their faith and confidence that prayers are answered."