Editor’s note: This story was originally published on Aug. 25, 2024.
A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On Aug. 25, 1928, an expedition led by Adm. Richard E. Byrd set sail from Hoboken, New Jersey, on its journey to Antarctica.
Byrd made the first airplane flight over the North Pole in 1926 and the first over the South Pole on Nov. 29, 1929, though some of his claims of the North Pole mission have been disputed.
His first expedition to southern polar regions arrived at Antarctica in December 1928 and his expeditions continued through 1955. The Winchester, Virginia, native was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor the following year.
Byrd is best known for his achievements in Antarctica. In 1928, he established Little America as a scientific base on the ice and flew over the South Pole, and led five major expeditions.
One of Byrd’s missions, Operation Highjump (1946-47), the largest-ever expedition to Antarctica, which included 4,000 men, 23 aircraft and 13 ships.
Many Utahns and Westerners recognize Little America.
Little America, Wyoming, was named after Little America, Antarctica, the barren outpost constructed on the Ross Ice Shelf by Byrd on his first trip to the South Pole, in 1928. The popular outpost continues as a gas station/diner/RV park/hotel in western Wyoming.
Here are some stories from Deseret News archives about Byrd, his forays into Antarctica, and the mysteries it still holds:
“About Utah: Penguin has tie to Byrd’s travels”
“Explorer Vaughan dies at age 100″
“Antarctica: A frigid place where scientific research is hot”
“Fascinating facts about Antarctica”
“USU researcher gears up for all-female Antarctica expedition”
“Antarctic shipwreck found after 107 years underwater”
“Antarctica: Mystery continent holds key to mankind’s future”
“Scientists used a robot to observe Antarctica’s ‘doomsday glacier’ — and it’s ‘in trouble’”