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Difference between revisions of "Richard E. Byrd"
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==Early naval career== | ==Early naval career== | ||
[[File:Explore-Admiral-Byrd.jpg|250px|thumb|Westarctican stamp commemorating Admiral Byrd]] | |||
On June 8, 1912, Byrd graduated from the Naval Academy and was commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy. On July 14, 1912, he was assigned to the battleship USS ''Wyoming'' and was later assigned to the gunboat USS ''Dolphin'', which also served as the yacht of the Secretary of the Navy. While serving on board ''Dolphin'' he made the acquaintance of future Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, then the ''Dolphin'''s commanding officer, and Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt, who used ''Dolphin'' for transportation. He was assigned to ''Dolphin'' when she was involved in the United States' intervention in Veracruz, Mexico in 1914. | On June 8, 1912, Byrd graduated from the Naval Academy and was commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy. On July 14, 1912, he was assigned to the battleship USS ''Wyoming'' and was later assigned to the gunboat USS ''Dolphin'', which also served as the yacht of the Secretary of the Navy. While serving on board ''Dolphin'' he made the acquaintance of future Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, then the ''Dolphin'''s commanding officer, and Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt, who used ''Dolphin'' for transportation. He was assigned to ''Dolphin'' when she was involved in the United States' intervention in Veracruz, Mexico in 1914. | ||
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===First Antarctic expedition (1928–1930)=== | ===First Antarctic expedition (1928–1930)=== | ||
[[File:Adm-RichardByrd-penguins.jpg|thumb|Admiral Byrd onboard the USS Bear with emperor penguins]] | [[File:Adm-RichardByrd-penguins.jpg|thumb|Admiral Byrd onboard the USS Bear with emperor penguins]] | ||
In 1928, Byrd began his first expedition to the [[Antarctica|Antarctic]] involving two ships and three airplanes: Byrd's Flagship was the ''City of New York'' (a Norwegian sealing ship previously named ''Samson'' that had come into fame as a ship some claimed was in the vicinity of the RMS Titanic when the latter was sinking); a Ford Trimotor called the ''Floyd Bennett'' (named after the recently deceased pilot of Byrd's previous expeditions) flown by Dean Smith; a FairchildFC-2W2, NX8006, built 1928, named "Stars And Stripes" (now displayed at the Virginia Aviation Museum, on loan from the National Air and Space Museum); and a Fokker Universal monoplane called the ''Virginia'' (Byrd's birth state). A base camp named "Little America" was constructed on the [[Ross Ice Shelf]] and scientific expeditions by snowshoe, dog-sled, snowmobile, and airplane began. | In 1928, Byrd began his first expedition to the [[Antarctica|Antarctic]] involving two ships and three airplanes: Byrd's Flagship was the ''City of New York'' (a Norwegian sealing ship previously named ''Samson'' that had come into fame as a ship some claimed was in the vicinity of the RMS Titanic when the latter was sinking); a Ford Trimotor called the ''Floyd Bennett'' (named after the recently deceased pilot of Byrd's previous expeditions) flown by Dean Smith; a FairchildFC-2W2, NX8006, built 1928, named "Stars And Stripes" (now displayed at the Virginia Aviation Museum, on loan from the National Air and Space Museum); and a Fokker Universal monoplane called the ''Virginia'' (Byrd's birth state). A base camp named "Little America" was constructed on the [[Ross Ice Shelf]] and scientific expeditions by snowshoe, dog-sled, snowmobile, and airplane began. During the wintering over at Little America, Bryd's team invented a potent alcoholic drink called the "[[blowtorch (drink)|blowtorch]]." | ||
Photographic expeditions and geological surveys were undertaken for the duration of that summer, and constant radio communications were maintained with the outside world. After their first winter, their expeditions were resumed, and on November 28, 1929, the first flight to the [[South Pole]] and back was launched. Byrd, along with pilot Bernt Balchen, co-pilot/radioman Harold June, and photographer Ashley McKinley, flew the Ford Trimotor to the [[South Pole]] and back in 18 hours, 41 minutes. They had difficulty gaining enough altitude, and they had to dump empty gas tanks, as well as their emergency supplies, in order to achieve the altitude of the Polar Plateau, but they were ultimately successful. | Photographic expeditions and geological surveys were undertaken for the duration of that summer, and constant radio communications were maintained with the outside world. After their first winter, their expeditions were resumed, and on November 28, 1929, the first flight to the [[South Pole]] and back was launched. Byrd, along with pilot Bernt Balchen, co-pilot/radioman Harold June, and photographer Ashley McKinley, flew the Ford Trimotor to the [[South Pole]] and back in 18 hours, 41 minutes. They had difficulty gaining enough altitude, and they had to dump empty gas tanks, as well as their emergency supplies, in order to achieve the altitude of the Polar Plateau, but they were ultimately successful. | ||
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In recognition of his service during World War II, Byrd was twice awarded the Legion of Merit. | In recognition of his service during World War II, Byrd was twice awarded the Legion of Merit. | ||
==Operation Highjump (1946–1947)== | |||
In 1946, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal appointed Byrd as officer in charge of Antarctic Developments Project. Byrd's fourth Antarctic expedition was codenamed Operation Highjump. It was the largest Antarctic expedition to date and was expected to last six to eight months. | |||
The expedition was supported by a large naval force (designated Task Force 68), commanded by Rear Admiral Richard H. Cruzen. There were thirteen [[U.S. Navy]] support ships (besides the flagship USS ''Mount Olympus'' and the aircraft carrier USS ''Philippine Sea''), six helicopters, six flying boats, two seaplane tenders, and fifteen other aircraft. The total number of personnel involved was over 4,000. | |||
The armada arrived in the [[Ross Sea]] on 31 December 1946, and made aerial explorations of an area half the size of the United States, recording ten new mountain ranges. The major area covered was the eastern coastline of Antarctica from 150 degrees east to the Greenwich meridian. | |||
Admiral Byrd was interviewed by Lee van Atta of International News Service aboard the expedition's command ship USS ''Mount Olympus'', in which he discussed the lessons learned from the operation. In 1948 the U.S. Navy produced a documentary about Operation Highjump named ''The Secret Land''. The film shows live action footage of the operation along with a few re-enacted scenes. It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary. | |||
==Operation Deep Freeze I (1955–1956)== | |||
[[File:Richard-Byrd-Bust.jpg|250px|thumb|Bust of Richard Byrd at McMurdo Station]] | |||
As part of the multinational collaboration for the International Geophysical Year (IGY) 1957–58, Byrd commanded the U.S. Navy Operation Deep Freeze I in 1955–56 which established permanent Antarctic bases at McMurdo Sound, the Bay of Whales, and the [[South Pole]]. This was Byrd's last trip to Antarctica and marked the beginning of a permanent U.S. military presence in [[Antarctica]]. During this operation, Byrd spent only one week in the Antarctic and started his return to the United States on 3 February 1956. | |||
==Death== | |||
Admiral Byrd died in his sleep of a heart ailment at the age of 68 on 11 March 1957, at his Brimmer Street home in the Beacon Hill neighborhood in Boston. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. | |||
==Selected awards== | |||
* {{flagiconstart|Flag of United States.png}} Medal of Honor, 1921 | |||
* {{flagiconstart|Flag of United States.png}} Navy Cross, 1929 | |||
* {{flagiconstart|Flag of United States.png}} Navy Distinguished Service Medal, 1926 and 1941 | |||
* {{flagiconstart|Flag of United States.png}} Legion of Merit, 1943 and 1945 | |||
[[Category:People]] | [[Category:People]] | ||
[[Category:Explorers]] | [[Category:Explorers]] | ||