Departures of note

Lieutenant David Steeves was ordered to fly his jet from Hamilton Air Force Base to Craig Air Force Base on May 9, 1957; the jet malfunctioned, he ejected and parachuted into Dusy Basin, Kings Canyon National Park near the 12,000‑ft level, badly injuring both ankles.

He crawled about 20 miles over impassable mountains for 15 days without food in freezing weather, found a ranger’s cabin at Simpson Meadow with fish hooks, beans and canned ham, was declared dead by the military, and 52 days after the accident campers on horseback found him near Granite Basin and rescued him.