Interview of Stephen O. Wilson by Brian Shoemaker

Captain David Nutt, pp. 2-3 Dr. Lincoln Washburn, pp. 2, 67, 71-72 Pete Scholander, pp. 3 John Coachman, pp. 3 Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, pp.3, 16-17, 20-21, 32, 45 Paul Siple, pp. 3, 14, 39 Eddie Goodale, pp. 3 Ken Maulton, pp. 3 Lieutenant JG Jack Tuck, pp. 4 Dave Baker, pp. 4 Gordon Ebie, pp. 6 Commander Bill Shockley pp. 8 Lee Barden, pp. 8 Charles W. Thomas, pp. 13, 41-42 Commander ________ Whitney, pp. 14 ______ Young, pp. 14 ______ Williams, pp. 14-15 Rear Admiral George Dufek, pp. 16, 20-21, 23, 36, 38, 42, 46 Captain Pat Mayor, pp. 22, 34, 66 Captain Cadwalder, pp. 22-23 Willis Tressler, pp. 26 Hardwick P. Shipley, pp. 33 P.Y. Matthews, pp. 33-34, 47 Bernard Lauff, pp. 34-35, 47 Commander Hank Jorda, pp. 36 Lieutenant Commander Donovan, pp. 36 Lieutenant Carry, pp. 36-37 Lieutenant McCaulson, pp. 37 Gus Cordiner, pp. 37 Captain Ketchum, pp. 38, 41, 66 Sir Edmund Hillary, pp. 41, 79 Harry Ayers, pp. 41 ______ Muldrew, pp. 41 Dick Cameron, pp. 43 Carl Eckland, pp. 43 Generalissimo Rafael Molinga, pp. 47 Dr. James A. Van Allen, pp. 49, 51, 55-58, 60-63 Larry Kagle, pp. 56 David Armbrewster, pp. 57-59 Lieutenant JG Merill, pp. 68 ______ Walters, pp. 68, 71 Bill Littlewood, pp. 72 Fred Ackroyd, pp. 79 John Lewis, pp. 79 Phil Smith, pp. 9 Norm Brevard, pp. 79 Floyd Paley, pp. 79 ______ Mecalf, pp. 83-84 ______ Eddy, pp. 83-84 Doctor Edgerton, pp. 86-87 Jim Zumberg, pp. 88 Doctor Herb Wright, pp. 88-89 Tor Kvinge, pp. 91Stephen Wilson worked on ships included in Operation Deepfreeze I, II, and III. His training at Dartmouth College gave him access to individuals interested in northern frontier studies, which was the topic of his senior thesis “Antarctica: A Problem of Sovereignty”. Wilson was a member of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps and requested duty on a ship operating in polar waters. His first polar experience was on the schooner Blue Dolphin, a research schooner owned and operated by David Nutt. The Navy assigned him to the USS Glacier on July 8, 1955. On October 30 they were joined by Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Paul Siple, Eddie Goodale, National Science Foundation (NSF), and Ken Maulton, National Weather Bureau (NWB). Wilson describes the complications that were experienced when attempting to use the USS Glacier as an ocean tug. The ship reached Port Lyttelton, New Zealand on December 6, 1955. Their first sight of the ice shelf was on December 15. The first landing as part of Operation Deepfreeze was on December 20. Upon arrival, Wilson describes visits to previous settlements such as Cape Royds (sight of Shakleton’s two expeditions) and the Scott huts (1901-02) at Hut Point. The ship then began breaking the bay ice near McMurdo Sound in order to allow for unloading and the establishment of a base camp. During this time the ship was diverted to assist in the rescue of Commander Whitney, Paul Siple, and others who had dropped a Weasel in a crevasse near Ross Island. There were no injuries. Wilson moves on to discuss the various icebreakers and their capabilities, including the USS Glacier. He describes the challenge presented to the ships when the ice was covered with snow and the techniques developed to counteract the problem. The route of the icebreakers is discussed, including a pass by the ‘previous’ Little America Station, parts of which were floating at sea on icebergs. Wilson describes the certification necessary to work on the USS Glacier and the various rankings of members of the crew. He goes on to explain the crash of the De Havilland Otter on December 25, 1955 and the sinking of a D8 Caterpillar in McMurdo Sound on January 7, 1956 (resulting in the death of a Seabee named Williams for whom Williams Field was named). Wilson describes the formal dedication ceremony of the Little America V station on January 4, 1956, where he met Admiral Byrd. The refueling of P2Vs and R5Ds from the deck of the USS Glacier is described. The planes were used to create photographic records of Antarctica and New Zealand. Relations between Admiral Byrd and Admiral Dufek are discussed. Wilson also details the difficult task of mooring the ships along the ice shelf and off-loading Otter aircraft from the deck of the Glacier. He describes the various types of planes used including R5Ds, P2Vs, and R4Ds, flying from New Zealand to McMurdo. He also discusses the frequency of radio communication at COMNAVSUPP3ANTARCTICA with an average of 200 messages per day. During Deepfreeze II (1956) the icebreakers moved along the Ross Ice Shelf to the east, viewing portions of Little America stations I, II, and III. Wilson discusses the pumping of AvGas fuel via a bladder system between the ships and the airfield at McMurdo Station when the ice was too thick to break through. He also describes the necessity of watching the polynyas (areas of open water surrounded by sea ice) in order to decide the best course of navigation and the discussions/debates which arose about this topic. In 1957, the icebreakers were used to bring scientists such as Lloyd Berkner, Harry Wexler, Dick Cameron, and Carl Eckland (Chief Scientist) in to construct Wilkes Station and begin the IGY (International Geophysical Year). The ships were also used to do basymmetry at this time, charting the sea bottom as they went. Wilson discusses the news of Admiral Byrd’s death while on course home following Deepfreeze II (March 12, 1957). The difficulties in writing and using scientific reports are discussed. Wilson describes a visit to Pitcairn Island on their return trip and the trade that took place between the islanders and the men aboard ship. The ships arrived back in Boston on April 19, 1957 which was the final stop for Operation Deepfreeze II. Operation Deepfreeze III began during IGY (1957-58). Dr. James A. Van Allen was to be a passenger on the Glacier. He was working on a project to launch small rockets into space from the sea. Wilson was sent to Brownwood, Texas to gather a small rocket called the Lokis Phase II. The specifics of this rocket and how it was used are discussed in detail. Wilson also discusses the detection of a signal from the Russian launch of Sputnik as picked up by the radio aboard the Glacier and Dr. Van Allen’s evaluation of the signals. The man working in the radio shack at this time was named David Armbrewster, credited with being one of the first people in the world to detect the presence of Sputnik (October 4, 195?). Wilson describes the erection or re-erection of beacons in Cape Evans, Inaccessible Island, Cape Royds, and Castle Rock during the Erebus Bay Triangulation Survey. Wilson discusses the return trip to McMurdo Station in February 1958 and the accidents which happened when attempting to break through the ice in the Sound. The Glacier carried 92 passengers on her return trip to New Zealand and the United States. Wilson discusses the storm (aka the famous Perfect Storm) they encountered upon reaching the Continental Shelf off of New York City. Wilson also discusses his time in Greenland at the DIE-I site, working with Metcalf and Eddy and his time working for the RCA Service Company in Riverton, New Jersey. His time as a graduate student in Glaciology at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts is also discussed, along with his work on underwater photography with Doctor Edgerton of MIT. Major Topics Operation Deepfreeze I, II, and III Use and performance of Antarctic icebreakers, particularly the USS Glacier Arial photography in Antarctica and New Zealand Airplanes used in Antarctic research Mooring of ships on the Ross Ice Shelf Construction of Little America V Station Erebus Bay Triangulation Survey Greenland DIE-IFunded by a grant from the National Science Foundation