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47-606: The Saratoga Table was discovered and photographed on January 13, 1956 on a transcontinental nonstop flight by personnel of United States Navy Operation Deep Freeze I from McMurdo Sound to the vicinity of the Weddell Sea and return. I was named by the United States Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for the USS Saratoga of 1926, one of the first large aircraft carriers of

94-658: A record of earlier exploration in Antarctica. As early as 1839, Captain Charles Wilkes led the first U.S. Naval expedition into Antarctic waters. In 1929, Admiral Richard E. Byrd established a naval base at Little America I, led an expedition to explore further inland, and conducted the first flight over the South Pole. From 1934 to 1935, the second Byrd Expedition explored much further inland and also "wintered over". The third Byrd Expedition in 1940 charted

141-641: A researcher in biomedicine and the physician at South Pole Station, winter party 1975. 83°20′S 50°00′W  /  83.333°S 50.000°W  / -83.333; -50.000 . A mountainous snow-covered projection from the east side of Saratoga Table, 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) southeast of Sorna Bluff. Named by US-ACAN in 1979 after Lieutenant Richard M. Hook, United States Navy, Medical Officer at South Pole Station, winter party 1969. 83°20′S 49°25′W  /  83.333°S 49.417°W  / -83.333; -49.417 . A prominent rock, 1,145 metres (3,757 ft) high, along

188-636: A year. The actual transition to Air Guard control began in March 1996. By 1999, the United States Navy had transferred military support operations for Antarctica over to the United States Air Force and its contractor Raytheon Polar Services . Operation Deep Freeze was managed by the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard members of Air National Guard Detachment 13 , a subordinate unit which administratively reported directly to

235-678: The Air Staff , and the United States Navy. Among other issues, it was difficult at first for the Air Guard to convince the Air Staff to commit long term resources to an area of the world that had not been declared a warfighting region because of international treaties. The Air Guard had supported military operations in Greenland and the Arctic (including classified U.S. Navy operations) since

282-598: The Ross Sea . Byrd was instrumental in the Navy's Operation Highjump after World War II from 1946 to 1947, which charted most of the Antarctic coastline. In 1948, Commander Finn Ronne led an expedition that photographed over 450,000 square miles (1.1 million km ) by air. Then in 1954–55, the icebreaker USS Atka made a scouting expedition for future landing sites and bays. The impetus behind Operation Deep Freeze I

329-727: The United States National Guard announced that the 109th Airlift Wing at Schenectady County Airport in Scotia, New York was slated to assume that entire mission from the United States Navy in 1999. The Antarctic operation would be fully funded by the National Science Foundation. The 109th expected to add approximately 235 full-time personnel to support that operation. The decision to switch from Naval leadership to National Guard

376-448: The 109th would be largely out of business because its primary mission had ended. The unit had been informally keeping tabs on Navy LC-130 operations supporting the National Science Foundation in Antarctica. Because of its aging aircraft fleet and extensive depot maintenance period, the United States Navy asked if the 109th could provide limited emergency search and rescue (SAR) capability for two years to support Operation Deep Freeze, which

423-507: The Air Guard accepted. At that time, it had no thought of taking over the mission. The 109th believed it to be an exercise in futility for its aircraft to deploy to the Antarctic to merely wait for emergency SAR missions, so it asked if the Navy could help carry cargo to the South Pole . The Navy resisted at first because its procedures and cargo configurations differed from those of the Air Guard, but eventually it agreed. The main mission of

470-803: The Air National Guard Readiness Center (ANGRC) at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland , and operationally reported to United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) in Honolulu, Hawaii . Upon its deactivation in 2005, the detachment consisted of a full-time officer (Commander) and four full-time non-commissioned officers (Logistics, Communications, Security Forces, and Information Management) which remained in New Zealand year-round. Operational command now belongs to Commander, Thirteenth Air Force as part of USPACOM. In 2005, through

517-519: The Antarctic continent are overseen by the United States Antarctic Program as well as the National Science Foundation. Military support missions flown from Christchurch International Airport are conducted during the Antarctic summer (late September to early March) each year by The 109th Airlift Wing Scotia New York. The Ski equipped LC-130 Hercules is the backbone of Operation Deep Freeze. LC-130 Hercules aircraft provide

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564-476: The Pensacola Mountains, 1978-79. Features to the southwest of the table include: 83°24′00″S 51°46′00″W  /  83.4°S 51.7666667°W  / -83.4; -51.7666667 . A linear group of hills with prominent rock outcrops, 11.5 nautical miles (21.3 km; 13.2 mi) long, at the southwest end of Saratoga Table. Named features in the group include Haskill Nunatak, near

611-788: The South Pole. The aircraft was named Que Sera, Sera after a popular song and is now on display at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida . This marked the beginning of the establishment of the first permanent base, by airlift, at the South Pole (today known as the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station ) to support the International Geophysical Year. It was commissioned on January 1, 1957. The original station ("Old Byrd") lasted about four years before it began to collapse under

658-468: The U.S. Navy and Air National Guard C-130s was to airlift fuel and supplies to the National Science Foundation's South Pole Station so that its personnel could survive the isolation of the long Antarctic winter, which lasted from February to October. An Air National Guard working group had been formed to study the idea in 1990. The following year, a dialog began among the Air National Guard,

705-749: The United States Navy. Download coordinates as: The Saratoga Table is bounded by the Support Force Glacier to the east and the Median Snowfield to the southwest. It is separated from the Lexington Table to the north by May Valley, Kent Gap and Chambers Glacier . Features, clockwise from the north, include Sorna Bluff, Mount Hummer, Mount Hook, Ronald Rock, Skidmore Cliff, Vigen Cliffs, Gabbro Crest, Sheriff Cliffs, Fierle Peak, Dyrdal Peak, Mount Stephens, Magnetite Bluff, Mathis Spur, Burmester Dome and Huie Cliffs. Features in

752-1424: The center, and Ray Nunatak and Beiszer Nunatak at the aouth end. Named after Glen R. Himmelberg, Department of Geology, University of Missouri-Columbia. His laboratory research and scientific reporting with A.B. Ford (1973-91) on the petrology of Antarctica and specifically on the Dufek intrusion of the northern Pensacola Mountains was critical for the understanding of the evolution of this major igneous complex. 83°24′S 51°45′W  /  83.400°S 51.750°W  / -83.400; -51.750 . An elongate nunatak, 1,710 metres (5,610 ft) high, standing 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km; 2.9 mi) west of Dyrdal Peak in southern Forrestal Range. Named by US-ACAN for Robert E. Haskill, radioman at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°28′S 51°58′W  /  83.467°S 51.967°W  / -83.467; -51.967 . A nunatak, 1,630 metres (5,350 ft) high, located just north of Beiszer Nunatak and 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) southwest of Dyrdal Peak in southern Forrestal Range. Named by US-ACAN for James A. Ray, utilities man at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°29′S 51°57′W  /  83.483°S 51.950°W  / -83.483; -51.950 . A nunatak, 1,630 metres (5,350 ft) high, standing 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) south of Ray Nunatak at

799-700: The cliff next north of Skidmore Cliff, located east of Saratoga Table. Named by US-ACAN for Ronald D. Brown, aviation structural mechanic at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°24′S 49°30′W  /  83.400°S 49.500°W  / -83.400; -49.500 . An irregular east-facing cliff, 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) long, located at the extremity of a spur trending eastward from Saratoga Table. Named by US-ACAN for Donald D. Skidmore, ionospheric scientist at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°23′S 50°07′W  /  83.383°S 50.117°W  / -83.383; -50.117 . Cliffs rising to about 1,750 metres (5,740 ft) high to

846-458: The east of Gabbro Crest. Named by US-ACAN in 1979 for Oscar C. Vigen, Budget and Planning Officer, Division of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 1968-85. 83°28′S 50°22′W  /  83.467°S 50.367°W  / -83.467; -50.367 . The crest about 1,750 metres (5,740 ft) high of the mountain spur between Sheriff Cliffs and Vigen Cliffs on the southeast edge of Saratoga Table. So named in 1979 by US-ACAN, at

893-560: The expedition. Task Force 43 consisted of the following ships: The ships of the task force were supplemented by a specially trained Navy Construction Battalion , formed at the Naval Construction Battalion Center at Davisville, Rhode Island and several aircraft. On October 31, 1956, at 8:34 p.m. local time, the first aircraft ever to touch down at the South Pole skied to a halt atop the Antarctic ice sheet at 90 degrees South latitude. The U.S. Navy R4D,

940-519: The first to stand there since Briton Robert Falcon Scott did more than 40 years before. Norwegian Roald Amundsen had beaten Scott in his race to the Pole. Amundsen's party survived the 800-mile return trip, Scott's did not. This flight was one part of the expeditions mounted for the IGY. This was not only the first aircraft to land at the South Pole, it was also the first time that Americans had ever set foot on

987-659: The juncture of the Lexington and Saratoga Tables. Named by US-ACAN for Walter H. May, aerographer at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°17′S 50°30′W  /  83.283°S 50.500°W  / -83.283; -50.500 . An ice-filled gap connecting the heads of May Valley and Chambers Glacier and marking the divide between Lexington and Saratoga Tables. Named by US-ACAN for Kenneth K. Kent, electronics technician at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°18′S 50°40′W  /  83.300°S 50.667°W  / -83.300; -50.667 . A prominent rock bluff on

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1034-709: The logistical movement of cargo to remote operating locations on the continent. These aircraft are augmented by the United States Coast Guard icebreaker USCGC Polar Star , the Air Force Materiel Command , and the Military Sealift Command . The United States Air Force 13th Air Expeditionary Group deploys to Christchurch, New Zealand during the operational season. A documentary on the early missions, Ice Eagles: An Account of American Aviation in Antarctica ,

1081-464: The mid-1970s with the ski-equipped C-130s of the 109th Airlift Wing . It convinced Headquarters, United States Air Force that it was not in the nation's best interest to abandon the capability to achieve quick and reliable air access to both polar regions. In March 1993, the U.S. Navy hosted a two-day workshop with representatives of the National Science Foundation, Air National Guard, and other interested parties to explore logistics support options for

1128-452: The mission. The Navy's Antarctic Development Squadron Six had been flying scientific and military missions to Greenland and the arctic compound's Williams Field since 1975. The 109th operated ski-equipped LC-130s had been flying National Science Foundation support missions to Antarctica since 1988. The official name for the Navy's command in Antarctica was US Naval Support Force Antarctica, (NSFA) Terminal Operations. In early 1996,

1175-461: The mission. When fully transitioned to the Air National Guard, the 109th Airlift Wing would have ten LC-130s in its inventory. These would include upgrades of four LC-130 aircraft in-service with the unit plus three new aircraft and three that would be transferred from the U.S. Navy. Air National Guard estimates of the savings to be realized by consolidating the operation in the hands of the 109th Airlift Wing ranged from US $ 5 million to US$ 15 million

1222-531: The north side of Saratoga Table, overlooking the head of May Valley. Named by US-ACAN for Lieutenant Commander Ronald E. Sorna, United States Navy, pilot on photographic flights in the Pensacola Mountains. 83°17′S 50°06′W  /  83.283°S 50.100°W  / -83.283; -50.100 . A snow-covered, bluff-type mountain on the southwest side of the head of Chambers Glacier, northeast Saratoga Table. Named by US-ACAN in 1979 after Doctor Michael G. Hummer, M.D., Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation,

1269-697: The office of the Secretary of Defense, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command was designated to support the Joint Task Force Support Forces Antarctica, Operation Deep Freeze. CDRUSPACOM delegated this joint operation to the Commander, Pacific Air Forces , who then delegated primary responsibility for execution of the JTF SFA operation to the Commander, 13th Air Force . United States civilian and scientific operations on

1316-656: The operation. A draft concept of operations had been prepared by the Air Directorate of the National Guard Bureau in 1993. In February 1996, a commitment was made to transfer the Operation Deep Freeze mission and all LC-130H aircraft operating within the U.S. Department of Defense to the Air National Guard. In September 1996, senior officers from the 109th Airlift Wing briefed the National Guard Bureau on their concept of operations and

1363-629: The snow. Construction of a second underground station in a nearby location began in 1960, and it was used until 1972. The station was then converted into a summer-only field camp until it was abandoned in 2004–05. The mission's second base, Byrd Station , was a (former) research station in West Antarctica established by the US Navy for Operation Deep Freeze II during the International Geophysical Year. The United States Antarctic Program airfield, built to service Operation Deep Freeze (first mission)

1410-457: The snowfield to the southeast include Haskill Nunatak, Ray Nunatak, Beiszer Nunatak, Grob Ridge and Coal Rock. Most of the features were mapped by the USGS from surveys and United States Navy air photographs in 1956–66. 83°18′S 51°10′W  /  83.300°S 51.167°W  / -83.300; -51.167 . A nearly flat snow-covered valley along the west flank of Forrestal Range, at

1457-499: The south end of Forrestal Range, Pensacola Mountains. Named by Dwight L. Schmidt, USGS geologist to these mountains, for the Permian coal that is well exposed on the nunatak. Operation Deep Freeze Operation Deep Freeze is codename for a series of United States missions to Antarctica , beginning with "Operation Deep Freeze I" in 1955–56, followed by "Operation Deep Freeze II", "Operation Deep Freeze III", and so on. (There

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1504-686: The south extremity of Saratoga Table. Named by US-ACAN for Gerard R. Fierle, meteorologist at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°25′S 51°23′W  /  83.417°S 51.383°W  / -83.417; -51.383 . A peak, 1,820 metres (5,970 ft) high, standing at the southwest extremity of Saratoga Table, 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) west-northwest of Fierle Peak. Named by US-ACAN for Frederick F. Dyrdal, aviation structural mechanic at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°23′S 51°27′W  /  83.383°S 51.450°W  / -83.383; -51.450 . A prominent mountain, 2,065 metres (6,775 ft) high, surmounting

1551-704: The southwest end of Forrestal Range. Named by US-ACAN for John E. Beiszer, aviation structural mechanic at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°29′S 51°22′W  /  83.483°S 51.367°W  / -83.483; -51.367 . A narrow ridge, 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) long, located 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) south of Dyrdal Peak at the south end of Forrestal Range. Named by US-ACAN for Richard W. Grob, cook at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°29′S 50°38′W  /  83.483°S 50.633°W  / -83.483; -50.633 . A prominent nunatak lying 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) southeast of Fierle Peak at

1598-465: The status of their preparations to implement Operation Deep Freeze. Under the transition plan which they had developed, the Air National Guard would continue to augment the United States Navy during the October 1996 – March 1997 operating season for the United States Antarctic Program . At the end of the October 1997 – March 1998 season, the Air National Guard would assume command of the program. During

1645-747: The suggestion of Arthur B. Ford, USGS geologist, from the dominant rock type of the Forrestal Range. 83°24′S 50°37′W  /  83.400°S 50.617°W  / -83.400; -50.617 . Cliffs rising to about 1,750 metres (5,740 ft) high to the west of Gabbro Crest. Named by US-ACAN in 1979 after Steven D. Sheriff, geologist, Western Washington State University, Bellingham, WA, who worked in this area, 1978-79. 83°25′S 50°58′W  /  83.417°S 50.967°W  / -83.417; -50.967 . A sharp peak, 1,960 metres (6,430 ft) high, standing 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) east-southeast of Dyrdal Peak at

1692-496: The suggestion of USGS party leader Arthur B. Ford, named by US-ACAN after Russell F. Burmester, geologist, Western Washington State University, Bellingham, WA, who worked in the Forrestal Range, 1978-79. 83°19′S 51°03′W  /  83.317°S 51.050°W  / -83.317; -51.050 . Steep rock cliffs rising above May Valley and forming the northwest edge of Saratoga Table. Named by US-ACAN for Carl Huie, technician in Antarctica, 1976-77, and geologist with USGS in

1739-615: The third year of the transition program (October 1998 to March 1999), the U.S. Navy would augment the ANG before the latter took over the entire program the following year. There would be seven LC-130s in theater. They would stage from Christchurch International Airport in Christchurch , New Zealand, to McMurdo Station , Antarctica. Traditional Guardsmen, technicians, and the cadre of Active Guard Reservists specifically brought on board to support Operation Deep Freeze would all be involved in

1786-562: The west extremity of Saratoga Table. Mapped by USGS from surveys and United States Navy air photos, 1956-66. Named by US-ACAN for Lieutenant Commander H.E. Stephens, United States Navy, leader of the unit from Mobile Construction Battalion One which constructed Ellsworth Station in January-February, 1957. 83°22′S 51°15′W  /  83.367°S 51.250°W  / -83.367; -51.250 . A bluff 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) northeast of Mount Stephens on

1833-847: The west side of Saratoga Table. Named by US-ACAN, 1979, at the suggestion of Arthur B. Ford and following USGS geological work in the area, from the extensive occurrences of magnetite in the gabbro of this area which cause large magnetic anomalies over the Forrestal Range. 83°20′S 51°17′W  /  83.333°S 51.283°W  / -83.333; -51.283 . A rock spur along the west side of Saratoga Table, 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) north of Mount Stephens. Named by US-ACAN for Melvin Mathis, hospital corpsman at Ellsworth Station, winter 1957. 83°22′S 50°56′W  /  83.367°S 50.933°W  / -83.367; -50.933 . An ice-capped dome rising to 2,095 metres (6,873 ft) high in west-central Saratoga Table. At

1880-496: Was an initial operation before Admiral Richard Byrd proposed 'Deep Freeze'). Given the continuing and constant US presence in Antarctica since that date, "Operation Deep Freeze" has come to be used as a general term for US operations in that continent, and in particular for the regular missions to resupply US Antarctic bases, coordinated by the United States military . Task Force 199 was involved. The U.S. Navy already had

1927-442: Was formed to provide logistical support for the expedition. Operation Deep Freeze I prepared a permanent research station and paved the way for more exhaustive research in later Deep Freeze operations. The expedition transpired over the Antarctic summer of November 1955 to April 1956, and was filmed by the U.S. Navy and Walt Disney Studios . For having designed the emblem of Task Force 43, Walt Disney became an honorary member of

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1974-601: Was later named Williams Field or Willy Field. The Operation Deep Freeze activities were succeeded by "Operation Deep Freeze II", and so on. In 1960, the year of the fifth mission, codenames began to be based on the year (e.g., "Operation Deep Freeze 60"). The Coast Guard sometimes participated; among others, the USCGC Northwind , the USCGC Polar Sea and the USCGC Glacier occasionally supported

2021-608: Was one of a cost-saving measure due to post cold war budget cuts. The possibility of the Air National Guard assuming operational control of the mission had first emerged in 1988. The 109th Airlift Wing had been notified that, almost overnight, one of the Distant Early Warning Line (DEW) radar sites that it supported in Greenland was going to be shut down. The other sites would soon follow, and

2068-411: Was piloted by Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Conrad C. "Gus" Shinn USN and included officer Frederick Ferrara. Immediately after the plane halted--with engines running to avoid a freeze-up (a practice still followed to this day)--U.S. Navy Adm. George J. Dufek., commander of Operation Deep Freeze, stepped out onto the ice, along with pilot Douglas Cordiner, to plant the stars and stripes at the Pole. They were

2115-416: Was scheduled to be released in 2016. Lockheed Martin is currently the prime contractor for the National Science Foundation's United States Antarctic Program. The contract award was announced via a NSF press release on 28 December 2011 after a bid solicitation process of almost four years. Support operations began on 1 April 2012. The original contract synopsis indicated that the government was contemplating

2162-639: Was the International Geophysical Year 1957–58. IGY as it was known was a collaborative effort among forty nations to carry out earth science studies from the North Pole to the South Pole and at points in between. The United States along with New Zealand , the United Kingdom , France , Japan , Norway , Chile , Argentina , and the U.S.S.R. agreed to go to the South Pole, the least explored area on Earth. Their goal

2209-432: Was to advance world knowledge of Antarctic hydrography and weather systems , glacial movements , and marine life . The U.S. Navy was charged with supporting the U.S. scientists for their portion of the IGY studies. Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd , a veteran of four previous Antarctic Expeditions, was appointed as officer in charge of the expedition. In 1955, Task Force 43, commanded by Rear Admiral George J. Dufek ,

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