Little America (exploration base)

Template:Infobox settlement Little America was a series of Antarctic exploration bases from 1929 to 1958, located on the Ross Ice Shelf, south of the Bay of Whales. They were built on ice that moves very slowly; the relative location on the ice sheet has moved and eventually breaks off into an iceberg. The geographic location has new ice that has shifted to this location and is technically over the open water.

The coordinates are approximate.

Little America I

Template:Infobox settlement The first base in the series was established in January 1929 by Richard Byrd,<ref name=register> Template:Cite web </ref> and was abandoned in 1930.<ref name=register2> Template:Cite web </ref> This was where the film With Byrd at the South Pole (1930), about Byrd's trip to the South Pole, was filmed.

Little America II

Template:Infobox settlement Little America II was established in 1934, some Template:Convert above the site of the original base, with some of the original base accessed via tunnel.<ref name=register/><ref name=register2/> This base was briefly set adrift in 1934, but the iceberg fused to the main glacier.<ref name=register2/>

During the 1934–1935 expedition, many souvenir letters were sent from Little America, using a commemorative postage stamp issued by the U.S. government. The souvenir cancellation operations were conducted under extremely difficult conditions.<ref>A Philatelic Introduction to B.A.E. II: The Postal History</ref>

Little America established the first successful radio broadcasting from Antarctica, making regular broadcasts that could be picked up by household radio sets in the United States, more than Template:Convert away around the Earth's curvature.

In a later expedition to Antarctica, Byrd's expedition spotted Little America's towers still standing, including the Jacobs Wind plant installed in 1933.<ref>Robert Righter, Wind Energy in America, p.95</ref>Template:Inconsistent

Little America III

Template:Infobox settlement Little America III was established for the 1940–1941 season, some Template:Convert to the north.

In 1940 a huge exploration vehicle, the Antarctic Snow Cruiser, was brought to Little America III. Unfortunately, the vehicle was found to have a number of design and technical weaknesses and was little used. Abandoned, it became buried in the snow. It was last rediscovered in 1958, but has subsequently been lost once again, either under the snow, or under the waters of the Southern Ocean.

The site of Little America III was carried to sea in 1963.<ref name=register/><ref name="scambos2005"> Template:Cite journal </ref>

Little America IV

Template:Infobox settlement Little America IV was established in 1946–1947 as the primary camp for Operation Highjump.<ref name=register2/> On 2 and 5 December 1946, 166 Seabees sailed from Port Hueneme on the USS Yancey and USS Merrick assigned to Operation Highjump.

Little America V

Template:Infobox settlement Little America V was established on January 3, 1956, at Kainan Bay, some Template:Convert east of Little America IV, as part of Operation Deep Freeze.<ref name=lud> Template:Cite web </ref> Little America V served as the American base in the South Polar program in the International Geophysical Year, from July 1, 1957, to December 31, 1958.<ref name=lud/> Little America V was constructed by United States Navy Seabees in the three-month window before the Antarctic winter makes construction nearly impossible. All of Little America V was constructed below the snow line in the ice, with individual living quarters, generator room, cafeteria, and with ramps leading out at one end for tracked vehicles. This type of construction meant that none of those staying in Little America V had to go outdoors in the harsh winter when going from one section to another of the Antarctic town.<ref> "Seabees Build A Town." Popular Mechanics, June 1956, pp. 89-94.</ref>

The site of Little America V went to sea on Iceberg B-9 in 1987.<ref>Template:Cite journal </ref>

Little America V was one of seven bases that the United States built for the IGY, which also included McMurdo, Hallett, Wilkes, Admundsen-Scott (South Pole Station), Ellsworth, and Byrd. <ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• List of Antarctic field camps
• Brockton Station
• Byrd Station
• Dean Cullom Smith
• Ellsworth Station
• Framheim
• Hallett Station
• List of Antarctic expeditions
• McMurdo Station
• Operation Deep Freeze
• Palmer Station
• Plateau Station
• Research stations in Antarctica
• Siple Station
• South Pole Station

External links

• Paper by CE Palmer, RNZAF on Winds at Little America, 1929