Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 27, 1960)
The Bellingshausen-Amundsen Sea Venture' xploratnomi of Bellingshausen Area Mode 'Grasshopper' Is Planted on Shore; Teams Start Work (Editor! noit: This ii another installment in the account of an Antarctica expedition in which Herb Grey, Mail Tri bune advertising manager, wai an observer. Today'i article discusses the expedition's stay in the Bellingshausen sea area, and messages of congratulations on the accomplishment.) By HERB GREY Mail Tribune Advertising Manager The following day, Tuesday, Feb. 16, the Navy-NSF Deep Freeze 60 expedition cruised east along the ice shelf as a bright polar sun occasionally pierced the overcast and squalls. Old hands in this part of the world had predicted that it would take 10 days to penetrate the 80-mile ice pack. It had been accomplished in 24 hours! That evening, the Glacier's larger helicopter piloted by Lt. Comdr. William Kannheiser and co-pilot Sam Rocray flew through snow flurries and fog to plant a rocket-shaped, battery-charged instrument called a "Grasshopper" on shore. Transmit Temperature This Buck-Rogers-type instrument would automatically transmit temperature, wind velocity and barometric pres sure for a period of from three to four months. Photographer's Mate Robert Henry, Electronics Technician Stephen Sikirski and Charles Wagoner were on this grasshopper hop. Progress eastward was halted 50 miles down the coast by heavy packs of ice, piled high in the vicinity of Fletcher island as shown on current maps. Prevailing winds noted by Artowski when beset with the Belgica 62 years ago had built an impassable ice barrier. Here the Glacier jammed her nose into an ice pack, open water and towering icebergs nearby. A big moon, high in the cold Antarctic twilight, turned the snowfields and ice bergs to shimmering silver. A little band of penguins stood silent guard through the night. The following day, Feb. 17, saw the Glacier's scientific teams go into action, scurrying out in helicopters and the ship's Greenland cruiser to explore the mysteries of this unknown land. The major reconnaissance flight, employing two helicop ters, took Commodore Mc Donald and a small party ap proximately 75 miles along the Bellingshausen sea coast to see if open water might be reached along the Eights coast to the east. - Oblique aerial photographs were taken to supplement ex isting vertical "shots" se cured on previous flights over this area. Many deep bays not yet mapped made it more cer tain that Thurston peninsula is not a peninsula at all, but instead an island or one of a group of islands with Pea cock bay ice extending north east through to Bellingshau sen sea. Seems Hopeless Because it seemed hopeless to reach open water along the Eights coast, it was decided to expend major scientific and engineering efforts during the ensuing two or three weeks in the adjacent Amund sen sea. It was during the afternoon of this day that Bob Miller of United Press International and I made the first press flight over this intriguing and forbidding Bellingshausen sea area with Lt. (jg) Sam Rocray at the controls of the HUL. As T. J. Baranski, AD2, waved us into the air with his green flag, the little orange helicop ter dipped gracefully toward the ice, then high into a soft pastel-blue sky. Visibility was almost unlimited. . As far as we could see, un til the distant horizon melted into a low hanging bank of clouds far to the left, there was ice everywhere, some in fantastic futuristic shapes, some spread like frosting on a great cake as it covered sweeping hills, more like giant ice cubes which, from the sky, appeared like those in the refrigerator at home. Smothered in Mantle We swept up over five jag ged humps smothered in a Section B Medford Pages 1-6 Tribune MEDFORD, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1960 mantle of ice and snow. This was probably Durstin island, first sighted on a flight from the USS Bear over this area 1040 and named by Ad miral Byrd for a member of his expedition. The low-lying hills beyond seemed to form a great bay not shown on the map. The tiny dot, the shadow of our helicopter skimming over the glistening ice below, be came larger as Pilot Rocray swooped down along the coastline where great masses of towering ice spilled onto the ice pack and spawned new icebergs. Deep crevasses were close, in all their trans lucent beauty - elusive sap phire hues changing into the deepest indigo blue as we gazed down into semingly bottomless depths. Far in the distance appear ed the Glacier like a tiny toy, snug alongside an ice pack and dwaried by nearby ice bergs. Softly we landed on the ship's llight deck after covering several thousand square miles of wild, lonely land. Scott or Shackleton would have faced many long weeks of toil and hardship to cover, with dog and pony sleds or snow tractors, the area we saw on this flight. Some of tiie key expanse would have been impassable. 'Big Eye' No Bother The "Big Eye," the polar name for insomnia, did not bother us. Winter in the Ant arctic is fast approaching and already the nights assumed a subdued twilight dimness. On board ship, however, it was no problem to shut out the light and get a good night's sleep. Port holes had to be covered for the evening movie show so that all might see news reels showing the 1958 All-Americau football selections, the last summer big league games and Ken tucky Derby. Fast-shooting Western six-gun thrillers were most popular. Cold winds off the Antarc tic continent shifted around east the next day, Feb. 18. It jammed the pack ice into solid masses and formed high pressure ridges. Scientific ex cursions and helicopter flights were impossible as the ships backtracked westward to ward the tip of Thurston island and Amundsen sea around it. Bulldozing her way through heavy ice, the Gla ciers' progress was suddenly halted. Lieut. Roy Gadberry reported the ship's spring propellor shaft bearing on the port side had burned out. More than half of the 21.000 horsepower was gone and every one was neded in this ice. A 'round the clock shift im mediately went into action, under the supervision of ma chinist Kenneth Fritsche, to replace this 1.200 pound bearing. A difficult task at sea! Apprehension Apparent During this enforced tem porary besetmcnt, with snow falling on icebergs and pack ice, the apprehension of the crew was apparent. Rumors were rampant. Many were convinced that the Glacier and Burton Island were fac ing the fate of the Belgica near these water back in 1898. Smiles appeared the fol. lowing Sunday, however, when bearing tests proved successful and the ice-crushing course was resumed. In these polar waters the sky becomes a giant mir ror to show, with reasonable accuracy, what lies ahead. A glow across the horizon, call ed a "blink," means pack ice ahead; dark clouds in the distance point the way to open water. After punching through ice for miles, there was a "water sky" ahead for the Glacier on that day. This time the promise was fulfilled; the sun was setting as we emerged into an expanse of shimmer ing gold that was ice-free water. The Burton Island lay silently off the port bow, that evening a "painted ship upon a painted ocean." Meanwhile the .officers and men on board the Glacier and Burton Island were elated when messages of congratula tions began to crackle over the ships' wireless. Here are a few of them, directed to Admiral Tyree and relayed to our icebreakers: "The penetration to the Bellingshausen sea by ships of your command is one of the great accomplishments in the exploration of Ant arctica. It is an outstanding example of the spirit and daring which make the Navy of ours the greatest in the world. Congratula tions to you and all the others who, under your leadship, made this historic voyage a possibility. Capt. McDonald and all those with him, a hearty well ' done, good luck and good sailing." Arleigh Burke, ADM. USN Chief of Naval Operations "The penetration of Bell ingshausen sea by ships of your command is an his toric peacetime achieve ment .... please extend my congratulations to those who have participated in this mission, under your leadership they have achieved their goal through . . GRASSHOPPER PLANTED Above is a reproduction of a painting by Arthur Beau mont, combat artist, of scientists and Navy personnel installing a "Grasshopper" dur ing Operation Deep Freeze 60 earlier this WV. ft " t year. The instrument automatically trans mits temperature, wind velocity and baro metric pressure for a period of from three to four months. (Official Navy Photo) f aw, nsy ' ' 5 y ' t , , ... . . . i " - - careful planning, skillful operation and integrated ef forts and they have carried our flag to one of the last unknown areas of the earth." Office of the Secretary of Defense. "To Captain McDonald and the men of his com mand heartiest congratula tions and well done on your outstanding achievement in penetrating the Belling shausen sea. The Atlantic Fleet takes pride in your accomplishment." Jerauld Wright. ADM., USN, U. S. Atlantic Fleet "Since my recent enlight ening visit to Antarctica. I consider myself to be on your muster list as a fellow penguin and I have found a keener and more profound understanding of the ar duous conditions and hard ships which are endured by your men. Their efforts, I know, will continue to in crease our knowledge for mankind of these strange and mysterious continents. This fact is exemplified by the recent successful probe into the far unknown reaches of the Bellingshau sen sea by units of your command. Please convey my sincere congratulations and best wishes for contin ued smooth sailing to Capt, McDonald and all hands for their superb and historic accomplishment." Herbert G. Hopwood, Rear Admiral USN. Commander-in-Chief, Pa cific Fleet Capt. Solyankik. flag cap tain of the USSR whaling fleet, also noted the success of the U.S. Task Force in this expedition with this wireless message to Comdr. Philip Porter, Jr., skipper of the Glacier: "W i r m nt congratula tions on successfully carry ing out Antarctic opera tions. Please radio informa tion about ice conditions in Ross, Amundsen and Bell ingshausen Seas. If you en countered whales please let me know." The Glacier's captain sent this acknowledgement to the Soviets: "Thank you for your kind message. Northeast wind has pressurized the heavy pack leaving no exit in our area. There is a not able lack of marine and bird life here. We saw a few whales north of 70 and one south. Best hunting to you and your crews." Eager for any news of the outside world, the officers and men of the Glacier and Burton Island were enthused over the announcement via short wave radio that a son was born to Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain. In recog nition of this historic event, Capt. McDonald, command of Task Force 43.3.1 sent the following wireless message to Her Majesty. "From the Antarctic shores of the Bellingshau sen sea. first penetrated this week, the scientists, officers and men of the U.S. Navy Ships Glacier and Burton Island send their heartiest congratulations to Her Ma jesty Queen Elisabeth II on the birth of a son and ex tend to the Royal Family their best wishes for a long and happy life." And, from Buckingham Palace came the acknow ledgement: "The Queen and Duke of Edinborough sincerely thank you and your ships' companies for your kind message of congratulations on the birth of a son to Her Majesty and His Royal Highness." ICE SHELF The towering ice shelf as viewed from the Icebreaker, USS Glacier, in the Bellingshausen sea during Operation Deep Freeze BO this winter. This is the first lime In history the waters have been penetrated and this portion of the coast seen. Landings were made on the ice and land and, near this point, a "Grasshopper" automatic meteoro logical station, was established. (Official Navy Photo) ON is a way of living ! ...let First National help you enjoy Itl Encouraging the growth of bright blooms and shrubs is a popular part of the way of life in evergreen Oregon. More than 300,000 Oregon people gain extra assurance of their enjoyment of this life with growing savings accounts at First National Bank of Oregon. Cultivate the savings habit and watch your money grow in a First National savings account. You'll relax with the knowledge your money is secure and earning 3 inter est. You also receive the highest personal interest from your neighbors at your near by branch of the First National Bank of Oregon. A. Gef acquainted with... J. A. "Joe" Moore If you haven't mf him already, you'll enjoy knowing your First National Branch Manager. Hit years of experience in banking can be helpful in dozens of ways. Drop in soon, let First National's "Personal Interest" banking help you enjoy the Oregon way of livingl MY BANK' FOR OVER 600,000 OREGON PEOPLEI fMltl PltllMlirOIIT IMIVtAHCt COIfOMftOII THC Flisr NATIONAL IANK Of OtCON FOtfUNO
