There has been no torpedo boat named Maddox in the US Navy. After Admiral Byrd and his team established the Little America IV base near where three previous bases had been situated, aircraft would photograph as much of Antarcticas land surface as possible during the three-month operation. On December 2, 1946, the ship sailed from Norfolk, VA, reaching the Bay of Whales, New Zealand on January 16, 1947. By the time Operation Highjump was completed on March 1, a dozen helo flights had been made to the base. Antarctica during World War II - Wikipedia As the weather closed in the next day, the remaining four R4Ds followed and reached the base with only an hour to spare before conditions deteriorated. Operation Highjump Photographs: Spacecraft and Bases in Antarctica Researchers speculate about what really happened and why Robert Frost was silenced for decades. Had the Task Group penetrated the pack without eyes it would have arrived too late in the season to establish a base; then conduct an aerophotographic exploration of a hidden continent. The R4D slowly began to gain altitude and in the tradition of the tough Douglas aircraft arrived back at Little America IV and made a safe landing. Develop techniques for establishing and maintaining air bases in Antarctic. On 19 March she brought Falkland Islander John Blyth, who joined the team as a cook/handyman in place of Blair. It was a one-way trip to Little America IV since they could not land on the carrier and would be left behind when the operation was completed. [3], The expedition was relieved in March 1946 by members of the newly formed Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS). What happened to Adm. Byrd when he went to the South Pole? A variety of science and mapping work was carried out. 14 men over-wintered in 1944. During his naval career, he was a pioneer in the air and a polar explorer. The other 6 crew members were rescued 13 days later. In the circumstances of war and time constraints it was difficult to find a ship built to navigate through sea ice and with sufficient cargo capacity. The media covered the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition nearly as thoroughly as the first, but the men from Little America broadcast the radio programs that were played throughout American homes.