“Come North With Me” Transcription and “Bernt Balchen, Colonel, United States Air Force, Retired: A Special Report on the Unique Career of a Great American Patriot” is a transcription and report about Bernt Balchen’s early life, military career, and his work with Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s North Pole and South Pole flights. The materials were brought together by Bernt Balchen's wife, Bess Urbahn. The transcription was a rough draft of Balchen’s autobiography, “Come North With Me” and it was created by Balchen and Urbahn, circa 1957. Balchen used a Stenorette machine to dictate his autobiography and Urbahn would transcribe what Balchen said. In the transcription, Balchen recounts meeting his childhood hero, Roald Amundsen, and working with Admiral Richard E. Byrd on his North Pole and South Pole flights. “Bernt Balchen, Colonel, United States Air Force, Retired: A Special Report on the Unique Career of a Great American Patriot” is a report written by Evelyn Moore Isakson in 1972, and it details Balchen’s work with Byrd, his military service, and the circumstances leading to his retirement in 1956. The report was initially written to appeal to the United States government to award Balchen the Medal of Honor and elevate Balchen to a higher military rank.

“My Life and Good Times” Manuscript by Olin Stancliff is a photocopy of “My Life and Good Times,” an autobiography written by Olin Stancliff between 1981 and 1982. “My Life and Good Times” begins with Stancliff writing about his early life and interests; he then recounts his childhood friendship with Paul Siple, a member of Byrd Antarctic Expedition I (1928-1929), and Siple’s recruitment of Stancliff for Byrd Antarctic Expedition II (1933-1935). Stancliff wrote in his autobiography about the journey to Antarctica on the USS Bear, his job as a dog sled driver, and daily life and social events in Little America II. Magazine articles about the expedition and photographs of Stancliff and Siple are also included in the autobiography.

The Antarctic Deep Freeze Oral History Project, dated 1998-2005 June, contains recordings and transcripts of the interviews between Dian Belanger and veterans of Operations Deep Freeze I and Deep Freeze II. The Antarctic Deep Freeze oral history project was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and supported by the Antarctic Deep Freeze Association. It consists of recordings and typed transcripts of oral history interviews with members of Operation Deep Freeze to capture individual memory and personal perspective on United States involvement in Antarctica during the 1950s. Topics during the interviews include daily life on the bases and various jobs and workloads amongst team members. Abstracts providing brief summaries about each individual interview are included at the series levels in the collection.

The majority of formats in the collection include audio-only interviews, along with two video recordings on VHS videocassettes, one of which is a video recording of the oral history interview of Charles R. Wilson from this project. The other video recording is a VHS videocassette copy of a recording made prior to Dick Slagle's death in 1971.

For all series other than Dick Slagle's, the original recording of the interview on audiocassette is included, followed by a copy of the same recording and then a transcript of the interview. Transcripts of the audiocassette interviews are available online.

The Arnold Court Trunk Used During United States Antarctic Service Expedition, dated circa 1939, contains a wooden storage trunk that belonged to Arnold Court when he was a meteorologist for the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition from 1939-1941. The trunk has the words U.S. Antarctic Service and West Base stenciled its sides.

The Byrd Antarctic Expedition I News is a newsletter for members of the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition (BAE I) created by Henry Harrison from 1974-1988. The newsletter mainly consists of messages from or about expedition members and photocopied press clippings related to BAE I and expedition members. Seventeen total issues of the newsletter are included in this collection, including some years where two issues were published during that year.

Volume 12 is not included, but it is not know whether that number was skipped during production of the newsletter, or whether this issue exists but is absent from the collection.

The Byrd Antarctic Expedition II Collection contains collected materials both from and about Byrd Antarctic Expedition II, some of which date before and after the Expedition. A candlestick from an expedition ship dates from 1884, and the rest of the collection dates from 1928 to 2010, with the bulk of materials dating between 1928 and 1935. The collection includes items such as correspondence from expedition members, artifacts from the United States Ship Bear and the expedition itself, a scrapbook, photocopies of the South Pole Radio News published by the expedition, an account of the trip to rescue Admiral Byrd from Advance Base by a crew member, advertisements by sponsors of the expedition, and postal covers.

The Carl Hoffmeyer Scrapbook on Operation Deep Freeze I, dated 1955-1957, contains newspaper clippings about the United States’ exploration and research progress during Operation Deep Freeze I. Newspaper clippings about the exploration of Antarctica by the United Kingdom, Russia, New Zealand, and Japan are also included in the scrapbook. Hoffmeyer divided the scrapbook into several sections; the sections are divided by articles that define the purpose of Operation Deep Freeze, the equipment used during the expedition, and the operation’s progress. The last part of the scrapbook has newspaper clippings related to the International Geophysical Year and the death of Admiral Richard E. Byrd.

The Charles Passel Papers, dated 1937-1953, 1971-2004, and 2012, contains notes, correspondence, photograph slides, and black and white photographs from Passel’s time with the United States Antarctic Service Expedition (1939-1941). Journal articles written by geologists and polar scientists, and a copy of the research paper Passel wrote with Paul Siple, another scientist on United States Antarctic Service Expedition, are also included in this collection. This collection also contains VHS videocassettes recordings of speaking engagements where Passel spoke about his experiences in Antarctica, as well as an oral history interview on audiocassette where he discussed his time on the United States Antarctic Service Expedition. The original VHS videocassettes were created between 1996 and 2004. DVD copies of the VHS videocassettes were created in 2012.

The Charles Swithinbank Correspondence Received During Service on Ninth Soviet Antarctic Expedition and Report of Expedition Activities is dated 1962-1966. The correspondence was written by members of the Sixth and Seventh Soviet Antarctic Expedition to Dr. Thomas O. Jones, the director of the National Science Foundation. The correspondence expresses gratitude to American scientists that visited the Soviet Novolazarevskaya ice shelf station. The correspondence, dated 1962-1963, was sent to Charles Swithinbank as reference materials for his visit to Novolazarevskaya. This collection also includes a report written by Charles Swithinbank, Technical Notes on the Ninth Soviet Antarctic Expedition, 1963-1965. The report provides an introduction on Swithinbank’s purpose for writing the report and how he is the first scientist from the United Kingdom to visit Novolazarevskaya. The report includes details about the supplies and equipment available at the station, the research being conducted, and photographs of the Ninth Soviet Antarctic Expedition members. A letter from Charles Swithinbank to Dr. Thomas Jones about the report is also included.

The Dale R. Reed Oral History, dated 2002, 2009, contains audio recordings, administrative information, and transcripts of the interview between Reed and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society conducted on May 6, 2002. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by the American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics discussed include Reed's two trips to Antarctica during Operation Deep Freeze in 1957 and 1959, and how the trips related to his later career at The Boeing Company.

The Daniel Talpas Papers contains materials collected by Talpas before, during, and after his time aboard the U.S.S. Philippine Sea, including a numbered photograph set of the Operation Highjump expedition, and nearly complete runs of the newsletters produced by the ship's crew, including the "Philippine Sea Line" and "Penguin Special." The collection contains general commemorative items available to the crew (stationary, matchbooks, publications), as well as items specific to Talpas, including his Ancient Order of the Deep summons and certificate, and photographs he personally took. The collection also includes Talpas' Plank Owner certificate for the U.S.S. Philippine Sea, as well as a few articles from magazines about the ship and Operation Highjump. Materials date primarily from the time immediately before, during, and after the expedition in 1946-1947, and one article about Admiral Byrd and Operation Highjump dates from 1954.

The David "Kelly" Welch Papers, dated 1970, 2000-2001, contains photographs of David Welch and the first women scientists to visit the South Pole. This collection also includes an oral history interview on audiocassette where Welch discussed his role as the commander of the United States Naval Support in Antarctica and the United States Antarctic program.

The Dr. George Doumani Papers, dated 1957-1963, 2001-2002, contain rubber stamps, a stamped envelope and order form, and a stamp plate. Doumani ordered these materials when he was an employee at the Ohio State University (OSU) Institute of Polar Studies. The stamps feature the Antarctic expeditions Doumani attended through the Institute of Polar Studies: The Mount Weaver Expedition and the Antarctic Geological Expedition. A stamp for the International Geophysical Year, 1957-1958 is also included. This collection also includes an oral history interview on audiocassette. In the oral history interview, he discussed fossil discovery in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year and his work with the Institute of Polar Studies.

"Dr. Louis Hauiti Potaka of New Zealand: A Biographical Essay" Manuscript by Bruce Young dates from December 2005, and consists of a typed manuscript. It is a brief biographical essay written by Young that describes what he learned about Potaka's life and participation in the Byrd Antarctic Expedition II through secondary source research. The first version of this essay was published on December 31, 1999; the version in this collection is the revised December 2005 edition.

The Eugene L. Boudette Oral History, dated 2002-2009, contains audio recordings, notes, and transcripts of the interview between Boudette and Brian Shoemaker conducted on October 27, 2002. The notes are dated before, during, and after the interview, and the interview transcript was completed in 2009. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics discussed include ice drilling in the Arctic in Greenland, the Marie Byrd Land Traverse (1959-1960), discovering granite in the Clark Mountains in Antarctica, planning the Victoria Land Traverse (1960-1961), and his diabetes diagnosis.

The Fortman Family Antarctica Scrapbook, dated 1932-1947, contains newspaper clippings about Admiral Richard E. Byrd, the Byrd Antarctica Expedition II, the United States Antarctic Service Expedition, and Operation Highjump. The scrapbook has a handmade wooden cover with a wood burned image depicting Byrd's radio towers and the words "Antarctica Scrapbook." The scrapbook was compiled by Myra Williams Fortman, and the scrapbook cover with a wood burned image was created by Floyd Jacob Fortman and Kenneth R. Fortman. A separate folder contains more newspaper clippings and a copy of the General Foods Map of Antarctica (Grape Nuts Map) that were collected by the Fortmans for the scrapbook, but not pasted to the scrapbook pages.

The George Frizell, Jr. Photographs and Ephemera Mailed While Serving on Byrd Antarctic Expedition II collections contains eleven photographs, one newspaper clipping about the Bear of Oakland leaving for New Zealand, and one fabric patch commemorating Frizell's time on the Byrd Antarctic Expedition II. The photographs include images of Frizell, Jr, Richard Byrd and other crew members on the Bear of Oakland. Other photographs include images of sled dogs and Antarctic landscapes. Titles of photographs were written on the back of the photographs and are maintained in the collection. Materials are dated circa 1933 to 1934 June 9.

The Herb Harvis Collection of Byrd Antarctic II Expedition Glass Slides and Maps of Antarctica, dated 1910s-1934, 1964-1987, contains materials related to Byrd Antarctic Expedition II and the exploration and mapping of Antarctica. The glass lantern slides contain photographs taken during Byrd Antarctic Expedition II. The expedition crew, Little America, the Antarctic landscape, the United States Ship Bear, and Richard E. Byrd’s aircraft are featured in these images. It is not known who took the photographs. A glass lantern slide projector is also included. This collection also includes the Antarctic Map Folio Series published by the American Geographical Society of New York. The map folios are dated 1964-1975. Geological maps of Antarctica prepared by the United States Geological Survey and a map of the Falkland Islands published by the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense are also included in this collection.

The Irving E. Podrat Scrapbook on Richard E. Byrd contains newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs, correspondence, and other documents compiled by Irving E. Podrat about Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd. The materials relate to the first and second Byrd Antarctic Expeditions, including materials that specifically mention Paul A. Siple, who served on all of Byrd's Antarctic expeditions. The materials also relate to Byrd's North Pole and trans-Atlantic flights. Autographs from members of the second Byrd Antarctic Expedition and a letter from Paul A. Siple that metions Irving E. Podrat are included. It is possible that some of the materials were given to Podrat by Siple or other members of Byrd's expeditions. The materials date from 1926-1937.

The scrapbook was disassembled for storage and placed into folders.

The Jack B. Long Oral History, dated 2002-2009, contains audio recordings and transcripts of the interview between Long and Brian Shoemaker conducted on September 19, 2002. There are also notes that were created before, during, and after the interview and are dated 2002-2009. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics discussed include Long’s relationship with his older brother (William E. “Bill” Long), Tucker Sno-Cats, living and working conditions in Antarctica, Dr. Charles Bentley, the Sentinel Mountains Traverse (1957-1958), the Horlick Mountains Traverse (1958-1959), and the McMurdo-South Pole Traverse (1960-1961).

The Jack Moon Papers date from 1947 January 12 to February 26, and consist of items gathered by Moon during his naval service onboard the United States Ship Pine Island during Operation Highjump (1946-1947). Items include Official United States Navy Dispatches from Pine Island, and several issues of "The Pine Knot," the Pine Island's shipboard newsletter. Items document the time period immediately following the Pine Island's rescue of the crew of downed airplane George 1 on January 12, 1947.

The John Splettstoesser Papers, dated 1973-2002, 2015, consist of VHS videocassettes, a DVD, and a postcard. The videocassettes and DVD contain documentaries about the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917), Byrd Antarctic Expedition II (1933-1935), and the exploration of the South Pole. Also included in this collection is a postcard from Richard Goldthwait, one of the founders of the Institute of Polar Studies at The Ohio State University. Goldthwait wrote to Splettstoesser about his work in Antarctica.

The Julius Grigore Jr. Papers, dated 1992-2004, consist of photocopies of articles Grigore wrote, photocopies of correspondence Grigore sent to Admiral Richard E. Byrd regarding Operation Deep Freeze I, and a monograph Grigore wrote about aerophilately and the First Byrd Antarctic Expedition. Articles written by Grigore from 1967 to 2004 feature topics such as Panama aerophilately (the study of airmail) and the history and research of the wind chill index. The correspondence, which originally dates 1954-1955, contains Grigore’s initial letter of interest and application to join Byrd on Operation Deep Freeze I, and follow-up correspondence by Grigore to inquire about the status of his application. A copy of Grigore’s monograph, “Canal Zone and Panama Aerophilately and Philately Associated with the First Byrd Antarctic Expedition (BAE I), between 1928 and 1930,” is also included in this collection.

The Lawrence A. Warner Field Notebooks From United States Antarctic Service Expedition, dated November-December 1940, consists of five field notebooks written by Warner while he was conducting a geological survey of the Edsel Ford Ranges in Antarctica as part of the United States Antarctic Service Expedition. Each notebook is numbered and has a title, except for the 4th and 5th notebooks. The notebooks contain an index to reference where graphs and drawings are in the notebook. Summaries of the types of rocks and minerals that were discovered at the Edsel Ford Ranges are also included in the notebooks.

Mary Boland Collection of Clippings on Admiral Richard E. Byrd includes clippings files collected by Byrd family friend Mary Boland on Admiral Richard E. Byrd's expeditions, and photocopies of documents from other repositories concerning Richard E. Byrd. Also included are photocopies of writings by Byrd and Thomas Poulter about several of Byrd's expeditions in the polar regions of the globe, as well as materials related to the dedication of several memorials to Byrd. Materials in this collection date from the 1920s-1997.

The National Science Foundation Research Vessel Hero Records consists of operations manuals, ships logs, reports, receipts, contracts, correspondence, deck logs, and engine logs from the Research Vessel Hero's years in service as a field vessel for the National Science Foundation; materials date from 1970 to 1985.

The Operation Highjump Collection contains collected materials both from and about Operation Highjump; materials date from 1947-1948 and the 1990s-2010. Items from Operation Highjump and immediately after include a souvenir edition of the "Bergy Bits" newsletter, and a 1948 United States Navy report on observations from Operation Highjump. Items about Operation Highjump consist of a newsletter and menu from the 1996 Fiftieth Anniversary gathering of people who were a part of Operation Highjump, photocopies made in the 1990s of 1946-1947 newspaper articles and clippings about Operation Highjump, a VHS videocassette with recordings of several television shows about Operation Highjump, and a 2010 DVD of crewmember Wendell Summers narrating his experiences on Operation Highjump.

The Raymond Fosdick Papers, dated 1926-1955 and 1979-1983, contain correspondence and American flags sent to Raymond Fosdick by Richard E. Byrd. Byrd had a practice of taking flags on his flights and expeditions then gifting them to friends and benefactors upon his return. Some of the correspondence accompanied the flags and some of the correspondence relates to other topics, such as the Fosdick Mountains. Materials created after Fosdick's death were received or collected by his family and also relate to Byrd and his relationship with Fosdick.

The Richard L. Cameron Oral History, dated 2002-2009, contains audio recordings, administrative information, and transcripts of the interview between Cameron and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society conducted on October 8, 2003. The notes are dated before, during, and after the interview, and the interview transcript was completed in 2009. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics discussed include what led to Dr. Cameron to pursue a career in glaciology, his experiences in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958), his research studying the properties of glaciers, ice, and snow in Antarctica, earning his Doctorate at The Ohio State University and the different positions he had there, his experiences during the South Pole-Queen Maud Land Traverse (1964-1965) in Antarctica, and the different roles he had at the National Science Foundation.

The Robert Behling Field Notebooks of Observations Recorded During the South Pole-Queen Maud Land Traverse II Expedition consists of three field notebooks containing scientific data gathered during the South Pole-Queen Maud Land Traverse II (SP-QMLT II) expedition, 1965-1966. The notebooks each measure 4.5 x 7 inches and altogether contain 217 pages of stratigraphic and other measurements, observations, and questions recorded by Behling during his participation in SP-QMLT II. Entries include remarks on the initial extreme cold and eventual warming of the air temperature throughout the expedition, best practices for coring stratigraphic samples, and observations of various sastrugi formations. The first entry is dated November 16, 1965, and the final entry is dated February 3, 1966. The notebooks were manufactured with waterproof components by the Eugene Dietzgen Company.