|
|
|
|
|
Richard Evelyn Byrd was born in Winchester, Virginia. At the age of 12, Richard's parents allowed him to make a trip around the world alone. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1912. He had to retire from the Navy because of an injured ankle. But in a few months he managed to get assigned to a Navy flying school. During the 1st World War, he commanded an air station in Nova Scotia.Richard Byrd's 1st polar expedition was to the Arctic. On this expedition he claimed a vast territory for the United States. He named it Mary Byrd Land after his wife. On May 9, 1926, with Floyd Bennett as his pilot, Byrd navigated the 1st plane to fly over the North Pole. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for the achievement, but later his claim was seriously disputed.In 1927 Byrd crossed the Atlantic with a crew of 3. Although the 42 hour flight crash landed on the coast of France, Byrd and his crew were safe.In 1929 Richard Byrd made the first flight to the South Pole. In 1930 he was made the rear admiral. In 1933-35 Byrd claimed more land for the United States. He then spent five months alone in a hut 123 miles south of his base camp, Little America, to study inland temperatures. He endured temperatures as low as -76 degrees F. Caused by a clogged chimeny, Byrd became very ill. He refused to call for help. Finally, a tractor party rescued him. In 1939-41, Byrd discovered the southern limit of the Pacific. In 1946-47, he commanded a project to discover and map large areas of Antarctic territory called Operation High Jump. In 1955, Richard Byrd directed Operation Deep Freeze, the first phase of United States operations in the Antarctic. In 1956 Byrd made his last flight over the pole. He died in his home in Boston in 1957, and was acclaimed an international hero. |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|