Greg Fletcher, the pilot who safely landed a Douglas Dakota on Sólheimasandur in 1973 — saving everyone on board — recently returned to Ásbrú, the former U.S. military base where he lived during his time in Iceland.

Now a civilian area undergoing redevelopment, Fletcher is enthusiastic about the transformation of the base for public use.

“I think the proximity to the airport creates countless opportunities, and I really hope the project succeeds. What I’ve seen so far is very promising. I thought it was great to live here,” Fletcher said during a visit to Kadeco’s offices earlier in September.

Fletcher lived on the base, now known as Ásbrú, for a year while serving with the U.S. military. He chose to be stationed in Iceland and remembers the experience fondly.

When asked about daily life on the base, Fletcher recalls that building a sense of community was a priority. He lived in shared housing for young men, while other personnel were housed based on their rank and whether they were stationed alone or with their families.

In his spare time, Fletcher worked as a reporter for the U.S. Army News Center, visited the gym, or took weekend trips to Reykjavík with friends who had a car. A popular hangout was the Officers’ Club — one of the few places in the country at the time where you could buy beer.

This September marked Fletcher’s first visit to Ásbrú in 50 years. He joined the President of Iceland and other guests to hear about future plans for the area’s development. During the visit, he also shared his own story — recounting the dramatic emergency landing on Sólheimasandur that remains part of Icelandic aviation history.