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Antarctic Exploration: Admiral Richard Byrd (1988 - 1957)
Richard E. Byrd graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1912. He served on a battleship but after an accident, he turned to the air and graduated as a navy pilot in April 1918. He showed great ability and was the first navy pilot to master the technique of night landings of seaplanes and, of flying out of sight of land and navigating his way back.
Byrd served in World War 1, and afterwards worked in several important naval jobs. In 1924 he became interested in polar exploration, and made several expeditions, both as a navy pilot and as a private individual, to the Arctic. He and his co-pilot Bennett claimed to have flown over the North Pole on 9 May 1926, and were awarded the Medal of Honour. Since then, however, some doubt has been raised as to whether or not their calculations were accurate.
In 1928 Byrd turned his attention to Antarctica and was involved in five expeditions, which resulted in vast areas of territory being claimed for the United States. He flew over the South Pole in November 1929.
He spent most of the winter of 1934 alone in a meteorological hut about 160 kms from the coast, making the first inland winter weather observations. He was put in command of the US Antarctic Service.
After the Second World War, Byrd helped organise a major US Antarctic project, Operation Highjump, and was made Officer in Charge of United States Antarctic Programs.
Admiral Byrd remained
an influential figure in polar research until his death in 1957.
Read more about Byrd here http://www.south-pole.com/p0000107.htm
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Sydenham & Thomas, Antarctica
. [Online] www.kidcyber.com.au (2007)
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