GEOGRAPHIC NAMES OF ANTARCTICA 



three series as she slowly worked eastward, be- 

 ginning from 69°10'S., 4°20'W. and ending near 

 69°05'S., 14°00'E. Meteorological, hydrographical, 

 biological, and geophysical observations also made. 



1939-41. United States Antarctic Service. 

 Leader: Rear Adm. Richard E. Byrd, USN (Ret.). 

 Ships: Bear and North Star. 



Summary: Sponsored by United States govern- 

 ment, and assisted in equipping expedition by pri- 

 vate and commercial donors. The two expedition 

 ships left the United States in November 1939, ar- 

 riving at Bay of Whales January 11, 1940. West 

 Base established there under Dr. Paul A. Siple. 

 The North Star then departed for Valparaiso for 

 equipment and supplies for the East Base, while 

 the Bear, between January 19 and 30, pushed 

 northeastward through the pack to 74°43'S., 

 143° 52' W. Enroute, three flights to the east and 

 south made from the ship. On February 1 the 

 Bear left Bay of Whales, sailing westward along 

 Ross Ice Shelf to Victoria Land, then northeast 

 from Terra Nova Bay into south Pacific Ocean, 

 thence eastward toward Palmer Peninsula. Dur- 

 ing this cruise three flights were made south from 

 the ship to Walgreen Coast, Thurston Peninsula, 

 and Seraph Bay. The first was made on February 

 24 from 70°43'S., 108°25'W., the second on Febru- 

 ary 25 from 70°58'S., 105°33'W., and the third on 

 February 27 from 70°04'S., 95°19'W. The Bear and 

 North Star met at the entrance to Marguerite Bay 

 on March 3, 1940. With aid of aerial reconnais- 

 sance a site was selected on Stonington Island 

 where East Base was established under Lt. Cdr. 

 Richard B. Black, USNR. The ships left for the 

 United States March 21. Winter at East Base 

 was occupied with depot laying and aerial recon- 

 naissance, preliminary to more extensive summer 

 work. Flights were made to the east coast of 

 Palmer Peninsula and this coast was photographed 

 between Hearst Island and Cape Northrop on Sep- 

 tember 21 and 28. From October 26 to December 

 30 a weather station was maintained on the plateau 

 east of base to aid flying operations. Three flights 

 were made over Alexander I Island. The first, on 

 November 4, followed a triangular course, south- 

 westward across northern part of the island, south- 

 eastward to George VI Sound, and north along the 

 sound to base. On December 22 a flight was made 

 westward over northern Alexander I Island to 

 Charcot Island, then south to Ronne Entrance and 

 westward to 72°55'S., 78°50'W., where the plane 

 returned to base. On December 28 a flight was 

 made along the entire length of George VI Sound. 

 From November 7 to January 28 Finn Ronne and 

 Carl R. Eklund sledged the entire length of the 

 sound. A second party, under J. Glenn Dyer, left 

 base in company with Ronne, separating on the 

 Dyer Plateau south of Wordie Ice Shelf on No- 



vember 22. They sledged southeastward to tne 

 Eternity Mountains, returning to base December 

 12. These operations were supported by supplies 

 laid by plane and dog team. The third major 

 sledge journey began on November 18 and led across 

 Palmer Peninsula and south along its east coast to 

 71°51'S., 60°47'W. On December 30 the last major 

 flight was made south into George VI Sound and 

 southeast across Palmer Peninsula to Cape Dar- 

 lington in 72°00'S., 60°43'W., thence south to 

 Wright Inlet in 74"00'S., 61°15'W. Plane then re- 

 turned to base following east side of Palmer Pen- 

 insula to Trail Inlet. Three flights were made 

 from West Base in February 1940. The first was 

 to Ruppert Coast on the 8th. On February 12 a 

 flight was made southwestward over Ross Ice Shelf 

 to about 81°08'S., 176°15'W. The third flight, on 

 February 29, followed a course southwestward to 

 the mouth of Beardmore Glacier, then east along 

 the front of Queen Maud Range, turning northeast, 

 east, and northwest along the eastern edge of Ross 

 Ice Shelf on the return to base. Major discoveries 

 were Shackleton Glacier and an ice-drowned island 

 similar to and lying southeast of Roosevelt Island. 

 Depots were laid by tractor, tank and plane. Gaso- 

 line dumps laid by plane greatly extended the ex- 

 ploratory flights. Four long exploratory flights 

 were made eastward and northeastward over Marie 

 Byrd Land on December 9, 13, 16, and 18, 1940. 

 All reached or exceeded 135°W. The flights of De- 

 cember 9 and 18 revealed open water north of Rup- 

 pert Coast. Westward flight along edge of Ross 

 Ice Shelf was made on December 12. Three parties 

 sledged from West Base into Marie Byrd Land in 

 mid-October. The Biological Party visited Fos- 

 dick Mountains on the eastern shore of Ross Sea. 

 The Pacific Coast Party sledged to Mount Berlin, 

 in Hal Flood Range, to establish ground control. 

 The Geological Party sledged to the Edsel Ford 

 Ranges. Cosmic ray and auroral observations were 

 also carried out. The two ships returned to Bay 

 of Whales in January 1941 for evacuation of West 

 Base, and departed on February 1. They proceeded 

 north to Scott Island and then eastward toward 

 Marguerite Bay, arriving off Adelaide Island on 

 February 24. Ice conditions, however, prevented 

 entrance into Marguerite Bay. It was finally neces- 

 sary on March 22, 1941, to evacuate East Base per- 

 sonnel by plane to Watkins Island (formerly Mik- 

 kelsen Island), in the Biscoe Islands. Personnel 

 transferred on same day to the Bear and sailed 

 northward. 



1942. Argentine expedition. 



Leader: Capt. A. J. Oddera. Ship: Primero de 



Mayo. 



Summary: Sponsored by Comision National del 



Antartico and Ministry of Marine. Expedition 



called at Deception Island in January and Febru- 



29 



