Antarctica: Operation Deep Freeze I: 1955-56 NOTE: This page was formerly on the Naval Historical Center website...when they renamed it to the Naval History and Heritage Command (home page) they deleted some stuff, including this record. Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page Return to Artists Page DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER 805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060 Deep Freeze I, Summary of Operations, 1955-56 Related Resource: Art work of Operation Deep Freeze I PART A TO ANNEX I COMMAND TASK FORCE 43 NARRATIVE DEEP FREEZE I Summary of Operations In order that the reader may distinguish the planned operation from that accomplished in situ, the planned concept of operations (Appendix 1 to Annex BRAVO of Operation Plan No. 1-55, Commander U.S. Naval Support Force Antarctica) is appended hereto for ready reference. APPENDIX I TO ANNEX B CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS Purpose. a. The purpose of this operation is to implement the planned program in the Antarctic by conducting operations during the period 1954-1959 and subsequent thereto as directed by competent authority. Such operations will include: (1) Supplying logistic support for the U.S. National Committee International Geophysical Year. (2) Conducting mapping operations in the ANTARCTIC as recommended by the Technical Advisory Committee on Antarctic Mapping. (3) Conducting special projects as requested by agencies of the government, within the capabilities of the forces assigned. (4) Establishing permanent stations in the Antarctic as directed by competent authority, in support of United States "rights" in the area. (5) Conducting air mapping missions. (6) Conducting scientific investigation. General Scope. a. The general scope of this operation contemplates the execution of a plan outlining minimum floating forces to support the International Geophysical Year on the ANTARCTIC Continent and to gain further knowledge of the geography of Antarctica and hydrography of contiguous waters. The general plan calls for the establishment of the following bases and having them ready for occupancy by scientific, and supporting personnel required for Department of Defense projects, by about 1 January 1957: (1)LITTLE AMERICA STATION at LITTLE AMERICA or vicinity. (2)BYRD STATION at 80ºS, 120ºW. (3)POLE STATION at South Pole. b. In addition, and in order to support operations of heavy aircraft in Antarctica, an Air Operating Facility will be established in the vicinity of the ROSS ICE SHELF. c. As soon as practicable after operations commence in the ANTARCTIC, 2 d. The LITTLE AMERICA STATION and AIROPFAC will be installed as practicable after navigation opens in 1955 e. At the LITTLE AMERICA STATION there will be constructed a fuel tank farm and an airstrip suitable for ski take off and landings. This station will construct and support BYRD STATION by tractor train operation. f .The AIROPFAC will serve POLE STATION which must be constructed during the Antarctic spring, 1956 and supported by air-lift. (This lift calls for aircraft and approximately 80 personnel to be provided by USAF.) At MCMURDO SOUND wind-swept bay ice lends itself to aircraft operations. However, if possible, a snow-compacted runway will be constructed as an anchor to windward in event bay ice goes out. It will be tested during the presence of Task Force vessels in the ANTARCTIC. g. In the event bay ice does not lend itself to use by heavy aircraft, flight of R5D's from New Zealand to the AIROPFAC will be deferred until after the snow-compacted runway is completed and tested on wheels by 2-P2V.P2V's and R5D's, UF's will remain(sheltered) at AIROPFAC. h. In October 1956, 2-R5D's and Air Force cargo planes will fly to Antarctica. The former will map while the latter will provide airlift of materials to POLE STATION. Movement and Vessel Operations. a. Ships of the Task Force will depart CONUS as follows: (1) AGB-2 and AGB-4, 30 October from BOSTON or NORFOLK. WAGB-279 depart BOSTON as directed. (2) AKA-92, TAK-237, and AKA-56 from NORFOLK 13 November. (3) AOG-55 from NORFOLK 6 November. (4) YOG0-70 (to be moored vicinity AIROPFAC) will be towed to PANAMA from Seattle, with a skeleton crew (1 CPO, 2 QM, 2 EN, 4 SN, 1 CS - all from staff, special projects unit or construction battalion). She will be picked up at PANAMA by AGB's and towed to NEW ZEALAND. YOG-34 now at NORFOLK, VA., will be towed to NEW ZEALAND via PANAMA CANAL by GLACIER. The YOG-34 will be manned by MCB personnel and GLACIER personnel. Eight (8) MCB personnel will be transported from DAVISVILLE by GLACIER for further transfer YOG. (5) After leaving PANAMA, the other vessels of the Task Force will steam on parallel courses in accordance with plans contained in Hydrographic Annex F. It is presumed there will be four (4) or five (5) parallel tracks at 5 mile intervals in order to give as complete hydrographic coverage as possible. b. Preliminary Operation icebreakers will arrive PORT LYTTELTON about 1 December. After replenishing supplies they will proceed to the ROSS SEA area and there reconnoiter to locate a site on the ROSS ICE SHELF near LITTLE AMERICA and an AIROPFAC site. In this connection it is probable the BAY OF WHALES, if existent, will not be usable. The ATKA (1955) has reported the apparent feasibility and acceptability of KAINAN BAY as a port for LITTLE AMERICA. If it cannot be used, the ice shelf and contiguous shores will have to be investigated. We are assuming, however, that there will be some sort of haven from which to support BYRD STATION. If and when a suitable base site is located in the LITTLE AMERICA Area, a survey party, a reconnaissance group, with its equipment, (including UC-1, and new type USMC weasels) and supplies will be off loaded to locate trail. In the meantime, the ROSS SEA area will be reconnoitered for a suitable place to establish an airstrip and freeze in YOG-70 and YOG-34 to support it. Temporary bivouacking facilities will be provided for plane crews in advance of the arrival of AKA's. AGB's will then support by operations inside pack and at MCMURDO SOUND, the flight of aircraft from NEW ZEALAND on or about 17 December 1955. After completing preliminary missions, a CB reconnaissance party will be left for detailed investigation at proposed AIROPFAC site. About 25 December 1955, the icebreakers will rendezvous with the ships of the Task Force at SCOTT ISLAND. It is emphasized no firm plan involving the establishment of LITTLE AMERICA (and consequently BYRD STATION) can be formulated until after the reconnaissance by AGB's is completed. One AGB to return N.Z. for COMM LINK and return towing YOG-70. c.Transport Operations. In the meantime, the AKA's, TAK, and AOG will depart PORT LYTTELTON as soon as fuel is replenished and take stations to support flight of aircraft of VX-6 to AIROPFAC via MCMURDO SOUND. These will be as follows: STATION OCCUPIED BY LOCATION Able TAK-237 CAMPBELL IS. 250 miles Baker AKA-92 Lat 56º 45'S Long 170º 00'E 250 miles Charlie NESPELEN Lat 65º 00'S Long 170º 00' E 250 miles Dog AKA-56 Lat 65º 00'S Long 170º E All ships will then-rendezvous at SCOTT ISLAND about 25 December 1955. This will be the beginning of the optimum period for navigating the Antarctic pack along the 180th meridian. d.The ships of the Task Force will then proceed with icebreaker escort to the ROSS SEA. Upon reaching open water, it is probable AKA-56 will proceed to AIROPFAC because of her amphibious capabilities. AOG-55 with AG3 towing YOG-34 will proceed to AIROPFAC area and, in a suitable, feasible and acceptable place: (1)Fuel YOG-70 and YOG-34 to capacity. (2)Moor YOG-70 and YOG-34. (3)Off-load AKA-56 cargo for AIROPFAC and POLE STATION. (4)Construct AIROPFAC (Including 250,000 gal. cap. avgas fuel farm). (5)Other vessels will proceed as directed. e.When icebreakers are not required in the actual support of other units of the Task Force, they will (1) perform necessary maintenance and/or (2) establish such geodetic control points in ROSS SEA as directed by Task Commander. f .When the LITTLE AMERICA STATION and AIROPFAC are self sustaining, vessels of the Task Force will depart for SCOTT ISLAND under icebreaker escort. g.Upon arrival SCOTT ISLAND, icebreakers will return to the ROSS SEA, continue incomplete missions and support flight of aircraft returning NEW ZEALAND from MCMURDO SOUND. The remaining ships will deploy between NEW ZEALAND and 65º S, 170º E on stations previously assigned to support this flight. All vessels will carry out such meteorological and hydrographic tasks as may be required while so deployed. h.One icebreaker will be sent to the Weddell Sea Area to carry out reconnaissance tasks as directed by the Task Force Commander. i .Diplomatic arrangements will be made for occupation of Station Able by AOG-55 (and YOG-70 on southbound trip). j .Upon conclusion of operations, vessels of the Task Force less AGB reconnoitering W Weddell Sea will return CONUS via Wellington, NEW ZEALAND. AUTHENTICATED George Dufek Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret) Commander Task Force 43 and ComNavSuppFor Antarctica C. A. SNAY, CDR, USN Several elements arose following the promulgation of the Operation Plan which required a modification of the Task Force schedule. In the first place, the EASTWIND's late return from DEWLINE delayed her departure until 10 November. This required her transfer from the reconnaissance unit to the transport unit. However, it enabled her to tow YOG-34 from New Zealand to Antarctica. Secondly, the EDISTO and GLACIER, towing YOG's 70 and 34 respectively battled headwinds and seas part of the way across the Pacific, setting the schedule back nearly a week. Again, it became evident that some means must be provided for transporting late deliveries from New Zealand to Antarctica. It was decided to dispatch an icebreaker from Antarctica at an appropriate time. In addition to fetching tardy cargo she would bring in mail and tow YOG-70 to McMurdo Sound. The reconnaissance unit was GLACIER and EDISTO with RADM R. E. Byrd, Officer-in-Charge Antarctic Programs and Captain G. L. Ketchum, CTU 43.1.1 (Recco Unit) in GLACIER. The transport unit (ARNEB, WYANDOT, EASTWIND, NESPELEN and GREENVILLE VICTORY) arrived Lyttelton 12 December. The Air Group, Task Group 43.2 (VX-6) was by this time assembled at Wigram, N.Z. Air Force Base preparing for the long jump to Antarctica. The first ice intelligence was received early on 16 December when CTU 43.1.1 reported his position south of Scott Island and no ice. It was apparent that even this early in the season the pack was not as severe as it had been during the most favorable condition of HIGHJUMP (1946-47). The Task Force Commander decided to sail the transport unit immediately. Liberty parties were quickly recalled and, at 1400, that afternoon the ships left their berths at Lyttelton. Notwithstanding our hastily unscheduled departure, the docks were so thronged with well-wishers that police were obliged to rope off the edge of the pier. The music of a hastily-gathered local band was heard above the hearty cheers of citizenry as the ships slid out of their berths and steamed toward assigned ocean stations. The GLACIER arrived McMurdo Sound 18 December. The amount of bay ice was disappointing in that it extended 5 miles north of Cape Bird. An airstrip was laid out on firm ice about 30 miles south of open water. A tent city was hurriedly thrown up at Hut Point to accommodate plane crews. On 19 December the EDISTO arrived McMurdo Sound, and the GLACIER was ordered to her plane guard station near Cape Adare; before the day was out everything was ready at the McMurdo terminus for the fly-in of Task Group 43.2. Upon arrival of EDISTO at McMurdo CTU 43.1.1 shifted his broad command pennant to her. On December 20th, with all vessels on station and weather favorable, the six aircraft of VX-6 took off at 0200. The two R4D's and UF's were drawing near the "point of no return" with gasoline dwindling at an alarming rate. It was obvious, though disappointing, that they would never make McMurdo Sound. The pilots courageously proposed making an emergency landing short of the McMurdo Sound destination. While the Task Force Commander admired their determination the expeditionary time-table was too tight to lose precious days in calculated search and rescue operations. The smaller aircraft were ordered back to Wigram, N.Z. The long-range aircraft: P2V 124466 (Hawkes & Torbert), P2V 142465 (Entrikin), R5D 56505 (Kolp), and R5D 56528 (Jorda) winged their way without difficulty and by 2200 (local) all had safely landed on sea-ice in McMurdo Sound. The transport unit got underway immediately for rendezvous at Scott Island. The EASTWIND was excepted from rendezvous since she was towing YOG-34 directly to McMurdo Sound. EDISTO departed from McMurdo Sound when planes had landed, for rendezvous at Scott Island. Of primary importance to the Task Force Commander was the matter of getting in as many long-range exploratory flights as feasible and as soon as possible. There was no telling how long the ice in McMurdo Sound would support wheeled aircraft. Before any flights could take off the NESPELEN with her precious cargo of AvGas must be gotten to McMurdo Sound. With all ships (less EASTWIND and YOG-34) at or proceeding to Scott Island a plea for immediate medical assistance was flashed from McMurdo Sound. The UC1 recco plane which had been delivered to McMurdo by GLACIER had crashed seriously injuring two persons and slightly injuring two others. CTU 43.1.1 ordered the EDISTO back and the GLACIER to provide escort of the transport unit without the assistance of the EDISTO. On December 23rd Rear Admiral Dufek, taking with him Captain Thomas and Commander Frazier to act as fleet ice pilots, shifted his flag from ARNEB to GLACIER. When the pack was encountered at 68 OS, 1740 E, the column was closed to 500 yards and speed of advance of. 8 knots signalled. This disposition was maintained at all times in the pack, which was this year, relatively mild. It is believed, moreover, transit of the pack was facilitated by (1) close column and (2) 8 knots' speed. This afforded the ice little time to close in ahead of each escorted vessel. The convoy reached open water of Ross Sea on Christmas Day and on December 26th made rendezvous with EDISTO at Franklin Inland Task Group 43.1 was reorganized as follows: Western Ross Sea Unit - 43.1.1 - Captain G. L. Ketchum EDISTO (F) EASTWIND (with YOG-34) WYANDOT NESPELEN Eastern Ross Sea Unit - 43.1.2 - RADM G. J. Dufek GLACIER ARNEB (F) GREENVILLE VICTORY Henceforth Ross Sea Operations were segregated into two regions: (1) Eastern Ross Sea and (2) Western Ross Sea. WESTERN ROSS SEA The Commander Task Group 43.1.1 must carry out four fundamental tasks in order of the following priority. (1) Support long-range flights of VX-6 aircraft into unexplored regions of Antarctica. (2) Locate site for U.S. Naval Air Operating Facility. (3) Off-load vessels of Task Unit and (4) support CTG 43.3 during construction of AirOpFac. On December 27th the EDISTO, NESPELEN, and WYANDOT arrived McMurdo Sound. It was not practicable to commence off-loading operations because of the distance over which material and supplies must be transported. The EDISTO was put to work breaking a channel toward Hut Point. On 30 December she was joined by the EASTWIND, which had arrived with YOG-34. Of dominating importance was the task of fueling aircraft for long-range flight. The NESPELEN was brought 2 miles into the channel broken by EASTWIND and EDISTO on 2 January. The ice here was only about 4 feet thick - too thin, of course, for comfort, since the aircraft involved are heavy - but the risk had to be accepted, so an airstrip was laid out adjacent to NESPELEN. Local flights were made on 3 January during which aircraft fueled directly from the NESPELEN. One important element, which entered into the selection of a permanent base site at this time, was the proximity of a potential air strip on land. The task of making a survey had been invested by ComCBlant in Detachment "G". Preliminary reconnaissance by this unit suggested a plateau area between Cape Royds and Cape Evans. Considering the information supplied by Detachment G and the amount of ice to be removed between Cape Bird and Hut Point, Captain Ketchum recommended AirOpFac be constructed at Cape Evans. The Task Force Commander accordingly approved his recommendation. The first exploratory flight took off on 4 January, 1956. This was made by R5D 6505 piloted by LCOL H.R. Kolp, USMC. The destination was Wilkes Land and the course due west but whiteout was encountered at 1350 -17'E. During these not uncommon conditions snow and sky combine to deny the traveler any sort of reference by which he may gage vertical components before him. In an unexplored region there is danger of crashing into a mountainside. Kolp prudently reversed course and returned to Longitude 1450 E. where visibility was normal. Not wishing to return empty handed, he flew down that meridian to the South Pole. Over the pole the aircraft descended to 500 feet for a close look. The area was quite flat with gentle, elongated snowdrifts which had the appearance of a white, stationary sea. By dropping smoke bombs, crew members inferred the snow to be soft and powdery with a low order of density. On the return flight the polar plateau, south of 800 South longitude was found to be decidedly flat and featureless. The second long-range flight was made on January 5, in R5D 56528 piloted by LCDR Henry Jorda, USNR. This time the plane flew into the unexplored heart of Wilkes Land to 80º South 90º East and returned along the 82nd parallel to Barne Inlet (a glaciated valley on the west side of the Ross Ice Shelf), thence to McMurdo Sound. Two new mountain ranges were discovered on Jorda's flight. The first one stretched roughly along the 156th (East) meridian a distance of about 80 miles southward from Lat. 790 S. Its width was estimated to average thirty miles with numerous peaks towering between 7,000 and 10,000 feet. The second range sighted by Jorda extended 100 miles in a southeasterly direction from 79º -30'S, 151º-00'E and estimated to be 60 miles wide. Like the first range, it thrust jagged peaks aloft from 7,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level. Aside from the aforesaid ranges the landscape lacked relief. Along the 90th (E) meridian, between 80ºS and 82ºS the elevation of the featureless polar cap averaged 13,000 feet. A third flight by P2V 124466 with CDR W. M. Hawkes and LCDR J. H. Torbert left McMurdo later the same day (Jan. 5). This flight winged across the unknown to Vincennes Bay on the Knox Coast thence westward for 50 miles before turning back to McMurdo - a distance of 2,600 miles. Save for mountains immediately west of McMurdo Sound the landscape was entirely featureless icecap. Along Vincennes Bay the icecap sloped gently to the sea but was scored with crevasses. It is interesting to note that upon approaching McMurdo Sound, Mt. Erebus with its plume of volcanic smoke was sighted at a distance of 200 miles. This 13,000-foot peak enhances the value of McMurdo Sound for operation of aircraft since it is an excellent landmark, and indicator of upper air-currents as well. While the foregoing series of long range flights took place the EASTWIND and EDISTO broke a channel ten miles long, toward Cape Evans. On January 5th the GLACIER (RADM R. E. Byrd embarked) arrived McMurdo Sound from Little America and off loaded a bridge by which to span a crack which was made off Cape Royds. During the evening the bridge was erected and the WYANDOT brought into the channel. In the morning (Jan. 6th) she began off-loading the mobile equipment to be used in transportation of materials to Cape Evans. A D-2 tractor was sent across the bridge to test it prior to attempting to cross with the D-8 tractor. There was no sign o… truncated (45,739 more characters in archive)