Hell on Ice: The saga of the "Jeannette"

by Edward Ellsberg, Stephen Hoye

In 1879, a daring expedition set sail from San Francisco, aiming to reach the North Pole through the Behring Strait. Led by Lieutenant Commander G. W. De Long, the crew of the USS Jeannette hoped to find a warm and open polar sea. Instead, they encountered a frozen nightmare. Trapped in the ice for two years, the men of the Jeannette endured hunger, cold, disease, and mutiny. When their ship was finally crushed by the relentless ice, they embarked on a desperate trek across the Arctic wasteland, facing starvation, polar bears, and a merciless winter. Based on real events and personal accounts, Hell on Ice is a gripping and vivid novel that brings to life one of the most heroic and tragic voyages in history. Written by a renowned naval officer and deep-sea diver, Edward Ellsberg, this book is a must-read for fans of adventure, survival, and history.

320 pages, Paperback

Published February 13, 2024

About the author

Edward Ellsberg (1891-1983) graduated first in his class from the United States Naval Academy in 1914. After he did a stint aboard the USS Texas, the navy sent Ellsberg to Massachusetts Institute of Technology for postgraduate training in naval architecture. In 1925, he played a key role in the salvage of the sunken submarine USS S-51 and became the first naval officer to qualify as a deep-sea diver. Ellsberg later received the Distinguished Service Medal for his innovations and hard work.

Rear Admiral Ellsberg was awarded the C.B.E. by His Majesty King George VI, and two Legions of Merit by the United States Government.