ANTARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION—RONNE 391 
were the American members of the joint British-American Weddell 
Coast sledge party and at Wright Inlet, with the two British members, 
formed the Ronne Weddell Coast party, which sledged to Gardner 
Bay and back to Wright Inlet. James B. Robertson, aviation me- 
chanic, was at Cape Keeler during the flights, and Commander Isaac 
Schlossbach, second-in-command, when not flying as copilot with 
Adams, also manned the Cape Keeler base. Lawrence Kelsey was 
untiring at the main base radio, which was the central point for cor- 
relating information from all field units. Charles Hassage, chief 
engineer of our ship, The Port of Beaumont, Texas, in addition to 
running the camp during my absence, was always ready to help with 
the maintenance of the planes and the numerous camp chores. Mrs. 
Ronne assisted in the organization of the camp during my absences 
and acted as recorder. Nelson McClary served as ship’s mate, and 
Dr. Donald McLean as medical officer. Chief Commissary Steward 
Sigmund Gutenko, U.S. N., on leave of absence with the expedition, 
procured and prepared all expedition food and assembled all trail 
and emergency food; he also gave a hand in servicing the planes when 
time allowed him a spare moment from the galley. 
The pilots were Capt. James W. Lassiter and Lieutenant Adams, 
both assigned to the expedition on active duty by the Army Air 
Forces. Adams, as pilot of the Norseman and the L-5, hauled tons 
of essential equipment into the field and conscientiously and depend- 
ably backed up and stood by the Beechcraft’s exploratory and photo- 
graphic flights. Lassiter, in addition to piloting the Beechcraft, when 
flying communicated by radio with our auxiliary bases on the Weddell 
Coast and the main base on Stonington Island. During all the 
Beechcraft’s flights William R. Latady checked the plane’s drift meter 
and passed the information on to me. As aerial photographer, he 
was fully cccupied with the operation of the trimetrogon and hand 
cameras and the changing of film. When not in the air, he was base 
photographer and machinist. The navigation end of the flights I took 
care of from my vantage point in the copilot’s seat, which gave me a 
splendid view of the terrain beneath and ahead. Harry Darlington, 
who was accompanied by his wife, and Jorge di Georgio, Chilean, 
completed the personnel. 
Beside carrying out the extensive program of the expedition while 
in the Antarctic, these volunteers manned and operated our sturdy 
1,200-ton wooden vessel to and from the Antarctic, a distance of more 
than 14,000 miles. 
To the men, whose initiative, cooperation, and loyalty contributed 
so greatly to the successful accomplishment of the expedition’s large 
program, I give my sincere appreciation and gratitude. 
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