Some individual researchers accompanying the Central Group made up personal cachets for use on their mail and covers. Generally used on private mail only, they are quite scarce. Amory "Bud" Waite of the U.S. Army's Signal Corps Engineering Laboratory made up a special cachet showing two penguins and crossed flags from a linoleum block and generally accompanied by his signature (figure 1). This cachet, later reproduced in rubber stamp form, became well known to polar philatelists during Waite's future participation in numerous DEEPFREEZE field projects. Both portions of this cachet are in black.

Conducting geological and ice physics research in the Little America area was Dr. Arthur D. Howard of the U.S. Geological Survey. For his personal use he prepared a distinctive cachet depicting a penguin riding a whale (figure 2). Known impressions are black. It is said that only thirty-three of these covers exist bearing one each of the set of Presidential issue of stamps (note the 4¢ stamp franking in figure 2). In addition to this unusual aspect of the covers the reader may be able to note that a figure '5' has been applied over the '0' in the January 10, 1947 date. This was done presumably to commemorate the date that Central Group moored to the ice at the Bay of Whales.

Perhaps unique in the realm of Antarctic cachets is the Underwater Demolition Team #4 cachet (figure 3). This team, which was involved in testing cold water diving gear and survival equipment, prepared a penguin handstamp incorporating an impression of the heel of a boot. This cachet is presumed to have been made up of two parts, since the heel portion is of red-violet color while the penguin and the UDT-4 portion is black. At least one cover has been found bearing only the penguin portion of this cachet (figure 4).

To top off this exciting aspect of cachets it has been reported that at least one cover has been found with the penguin design illustrated as figure 5. This has been associated by this writer as being used by a member of the UDT-4 Team in view of the return address which reads: Robert C. Stafford, GM 3/c (Gunners Mate third class) / Underwater Demolition Team #4 / c/o Fleet Post Office U.S.S. Mount Olympus / New York NY.

Mail and collateral items were also prepared by Father William J. Menster, Chaplain, USN, aboard the U.S.S. Mount Olympus during Operation Highjump.

OPERATION HIGHJUMP: EXPEDITION FLIGHTS

Although aviation played a major role in Operation Highjump, it is safe to say that documented flight covers are among the most elusive to be found from the expedition. The only reported helicopter flight covers from Highjump are a few flown locally on a flight from Little America IV and posted later on the USS Mount Olympus. These were documented in pen by Cdr. Vogeley, certifying that they had been so carried, but bear no signature of the pilot and little documentation (figure 1).

Similarly, covers carried on board flights from the seaplane tenders USS Pine Island and USS Currituck are seldom encountered. General purpose flight covers printed by the Collegiate Philatelic Society are occasionally found documented as being carried on 'all' or 'some' Highjump flights by individual crewmembers from these ships (figures 2, 3). Unfortunately few details of these history-making flights are given on these covers with the exception of one carried on an R4D flight made from Little America IV. The inscription reads: "Next time we'll make Weddell Sea / or bust" and is signed by Lt. George W. Warden / R4D 5/V-2, Bu.No.17101 (figure 4).

While documented covers for specific flights of significance from the seaplane tenders seem to be non-existant, two flights of importance made during Highjump have been philatelically recorded --- the USS Philippine Sea to Little America IV flight and the Little America IV to the South Pole and return flight.

Typed documentation and the signature of USMC pilot, Lt. Robert McCarthy, authenticate a cover from one of the six R4D aircraft participating in the flight to Little America from the aircraft carrier (figure 5). As a matter of interest, this cover was posted two days later on USS Mount Olympus and cancelled with one of the new postmark devices which were flown south from the Philippine Sea. The cover illustrated as figure 6 (a) with the ship's printed cachet was also flown into Little America on the 30th of January, 1947, according to the hand-written note on the reverse signed by Lt. H.G. Aune.

Figure 7 is an apparently genuine cover carried on one of two R4D aircraft which flew from Little America IV to the geographical South Pole and back on February 15-16, 1947. It is signed by RAdm. Byrd, LCdr. James C. McCoy (co-pilot), Radioman Joseph E. Valinski and Photographer's Mate Kenneth C. Swain. Pilot Lt. George Anderson and Navigator Lt. jg. Robert P. Heekin did not sign the cover. Lt. Anderson did, however, sign the typewritten notation found on figure 8. Both covers evidently were aboard the same aircraft which had as a passenger RAdm. R.E. Byrd.

Another documented flight cover carried on the second aircraft to make the South Pole flight is shown as figure 9. The typed notation reads: This envelope was flown over the South / Pole in R4D, Bu. No. 39092, Feb. 16, 1947 / (1600-GCT). Pilot (signed) Robert R. Weir, Major, USMC. Additional wording appears in the center of the map design: The best / of luck / R.E. Byrd.

Although appropriately documented and signed, the February 16, 1947 Mount Olympus postmark on these covers confuses the matter. It should be noted that no ships were at the Bay of Whales on Febraury 15-16 when the flight took place, and therefore, no postal facilities were immediately available for the posting of such covers. The first opportunity to have South Pole flight covers postmarked would have been on February 22, 1947, when the icebreaker USS Burton Island reached the base. These covers apparently were cancelled with a back-dated device when their owners were transferred from the USS Burton Island to the USS Mount Olympus after having been evacuated from Little America IV. All aircraft, heavy equipment and supplies were secured at the base for future use due to the rapid evacuation.