When Was Ada Blackjack Rescued?

Ada Blackjack was a young Inupiaq woman who became stranded on an uninhabited island in the Arctic Ocean with four men in 1921. The expedition was led by Vilhjalmur Stefansson, a Canadian Arctic explorer, who wanted to claim Wrangel Island for Canada. The group of five set out on their journey from Nome, Alaska, in September 1921 and arrived at Wrangel Island a month later.

The plan was for the group to stay on the island for one year and gather data about the land, animals, and weather conditions. Ada was hired as a seamstress to make clothing for the men and was promised $50 per month for her services. The other members of the expedition included Lorne Knight, Milton Galle, Fred Maurer, and Allan Crawford.

However, things didn’t go as planned. The group faced harsh weather conditions and struggled to find food.

Eventually, they decided to split up into two groups: one that would search for food and the other that would stay behind at camp. Ada was part of the group that stayed behind.

Unfortunately, the search party never returned. The men at camp ran out of food and had to resort to eating their sled dogs.

They also suffered from scurvy due to lack of vitamin C in their diet. Ada took care of the men as best she could but eventually had to bury three of them after they died from starvation and illness.

Ada managed to survive on her own for two years until she was rescued by a team led by Harold Noice in August 1923. She had taught herself how to hunt and fish and had also learned how to make clothing from animal hides.

Her rescue made headlines around the world as she became known as “the female Robinson Crusoe” or “the lone woman of Wrangel Island.” Ada returned home a hero but struggled to readjust to life in civilization. She suffered from PTSD and depression and was financially exploited by those who wanted to profit from her story.

In conclusion, Ada Blackjack was rescued from Wrangel Island in August 1923 after being stranded there for two years. Her survival story is a testament to human resilience and the strength of the human spirit.