Preliminary Reconnaissance for Operation Deepfreeze

The icebreaker USS ATKA departed Boston, MA on December 1, 1954, proceeding for Antarctica. She arrived at the Bay of Whales and site of the former Little America bases on January 14, 1955. At this time it was discovered that the Bay of Whales no longer existed. Only sheer cliffs of ice appeared where the Barrier had come together. A large portion of the "tent" city of Little America IV (OPERATION HIGHJUMP 1946-47) had calved off and floated out to sea. A suitable site for Little America V (to be built during Operation Deepfreeze I) was determined at Kainan Bay, about twenty miles east of the earlier locations. The arrival of the USS ATKA at this point on the map was commemorated with a wide assortment of cacheted mail.

OPERATION DEEPFREEZE I
STAGE I : 1955-56

Operation Deepfreeze was planned in two stages. Deepfreeze I, in 1955-56 was designed to build an airfield at McMurdo Sound. Another base was to be built near Little America in the Bay of Whales. Seven ships and 1800 men participated in the first year.

Two Neptune and two Skymaster aircraft flew from New Zealand to an airstrip on sea ice in McMurdo Sound on December 19, 1955. Subsequently, nine long-range exploratory flights were made to various points on the continent, including the South Pole and southern extremity of the Weddell Sea..

OPERATION DEEPFREEZE II
STAGE II: 1956-57

Deepfreeze II, in 1956-57, was intended to build a permanent station at the South Pole along with establishment of three other IGY stations...Byrd station in Marie Byrd Land, Wilkes station in Vincennes Bay / Windmill Islands and Ellsworth station on the Filchner Ice Shelf. Covers, such as this one, exist in enormous quantities. Covers serviced at the Pole Station during Deepfreeze II rank as the most prolific Antarctic cover in existence.

OPERATION DEEPFREEZE III
The IGY: 1957-58

Signed, Captain Finn Ronne

IGY ELLSWORTH STATION.

IGY LITTLE AMERICA V STATION

Admiral Byrd's Snow Cruiser, from the UNITED STATES ANTARCTIC SERVICE EXPEDITION 1939-41, was found at Little America during DFIII.

REVERSE

1957-58 TRANS-ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

Technically speaking, this is NOT a Deepfreeze cover. However, it definitely belongs with this group as you will notice the "Pole Station" cancel.

"This cover is signed by the parties that crossed the Antarctic continent at the South Pole Station, including now "Sir Fuchs". One was made and given to each of us that wintered-over and assisted at the South Pole (midway point in the crossing). A total of 18 covers exist. Some of the signers later climbed Mt. Everest"

EIGHTS COAST
Very Scarce

 

The EIGHTS COAST canceler was used only ONE day ... 17 FEB 1960. Only 3000 covers were canceled.

AMUNDSEN SEA COAST
Very Scarce

A "one-day post office" in the Amundsen Sea was established on March 4, 1961 on board the USS GLACIER and USS STATEN ISLAND. Approximately 2500 covers were processed on both ships.

The two special postmarks, EIGHTS COAST and AMUNDSEN SEA COAST, were not created for collectors, nor will they ever see postal duty again.

 

MARIE BYRD LAND COAST

An additional personal cachet has been applied by polar veteran A.H. "Bud" Waite. Waite was one of the 3 men who rescued Richard Byrd in 1934 at the Bolling Advance Weather Station, during the SECOND BYRD ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. He took part in OPERATION HIGHJUMP and during the IGY was leader of the US Army Signal Corps Antarctic Research Team. He was communications specialist on the USS ATKA during the US Navy Antarctic Expedition of 1954-55, and on the USN Bellingshausen Sea Expedition in 1959-60.

MARIE BYRD LAND COAST

Signed by E.G. Grant, commanding officer of the USS GLACIER. This was another "one-day post office". Covers returned to collectors from the USS GLACIER with this particular postmark had a mimeographed letter enclosed stating, among other things, that "This envelope has been postmarked aboard USS GLACIER (AGB-4) on 4 February 1962, with an additional mark MARIE BYRD LAND COAST dated and used on this day only."

ANTARCTIC PENINSULA TRAVERSE
1961-62

A cover sent to Christchurch, New Zealand, canceled US NAVY 17038 BR (McMurdo) 10 FEB 62. Quite scarce, with signatures of 7 members who participated in the event..

HEROIC ERA VISITORS

Cover signed by Philip Brocklehurst, participant in Shackleton's NIMROD EXPEDITION . . . AND signed by Raymond Priestly, participant in both Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition and Scott's TERRA NOVA EXPEDITION .

POLAR PLATEAU STATION

An example of the rare Polar Plateau Station cachet used during Deepfreeze 67.