Sent from Little America by J.J. "Teddy" Bayer, engineer
of the City of New York.
Click
here for a larger image. [S.S. Eleanor Bolling]
Interesting
enclosed letter from crewmember Charles Kessler. The letter describes
the journey to the ice in fascinating detail. A must read for Byrd enthusiasts!
Click
here for a larger image.
Welcome Home! Aviator's Post 743 of the American Legion welcomes Admiral
Byrd to New York City. Signed Bernt Balchen, chief aviator on the
historic flight over the Pole in November 1928. This cover was prepared
to commemorate the dedication of the Floyd Bennett Municipal Airport,
by Byrd, on June 26, 1930. The cachet on the reverse of this cover is
an imitation Byrd I cancellation, designed and used by prolific philatelic
dealer A. C. Roessler. It is believed that Roessler intentionally made
a slight adjustment to the cachet (leaving out the lower right meridian
line) in order to support his claim that this was not a forgery.
Byrd II; 1933-1935
Click
here for a larger image. [S.S. Bear of Oakland]
Due to her slower speed,
the Bear of Oakland, under the command of Lieutenant (J.G.) Robert
A. English, U.S.N. left Boston harbor on September 25th, 1933, nearly two-and-a-half
weeks earlier than the Jacob Ruppert. While en route to the Panama
Canal a hurricane was encountered, nearly sinking the ship off Southport,
North Carolina. She met a full gale off Diamond Shoals lightship and was
warned by radio that the strongest part of the storm lay dead ahead. Lt.
English tried to make a run for Southport Harbor but by October 4th the
seas were breaking over her decks and she was taking on vast amounts of
water, faster than the pumps could handle it. It was a terrible night as
bucket lines were formed and the crew, scientists and veterans steadied
themselves on slippery decks and ladders, passing three-gallon buckets of
bilge water to the main deck and lowering empty buckets to the men below.
The sea rose to the level of the boilers . . . it was serious indeed. After
hours of battling, she finally made it to shore and anchored off the entrance
to the harbor. Due to the extreme punishment she took, it was necessary
to return to Newport News for dry-docking. Repairs were made and she set
out for Antarctica, this time successfully, on November 1, 1933.
Click
here for a larger image. [Little America / Signed Captain
Robert A. J. English]
This example is from a
set of 17 postcards issued for the expedition. On the reverse are various
photos from the prior Byrd I Expedition. Captain English personally signed
a possible 15,000 cards and most likely saw to the cancellation of many
at the "branch" Little America II post office aboard the Bear.
Click
here for a larger image.
[S.S. Jacob Ruppert]
Click here for a larger image. [Little
America]
Byrd III; 1939-1941
Click
here for a larger image. [U.S.S. Bear]
Click
here for a larger image. [U.S.S. Bear w/Little America Killer Bars]
NOTE: This area of postal history will be greatly expanded upon
in the near future.
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