Byrd’s achievements in this expedition were pivotal in moving exploration in Antarctica from the “Heroic Age” to the “Mechanical Age.”  He proved that airplanes, radio communication and motorized transport could be used in Antarctica to advance exploration and science.  Thousands of miles of unexplored lands were mapped, and never before seen images of the continent were filmed by stills and moving pictures and shared with the American public.  Perhaps the most valuable achievement of the first Byrd Expedition to Antarctica was the excitement it generated.  Byrd would make four more expeditions to Antarctica in his lifetime, and is considered a true American hero.