Guide to the Calvin Larsen Papers, 1956-1958, 2000 SPEC.PA.56.0020 Finding aid prepared by Audrey Wimbiscus Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210
2025 November This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2025-12-02T09:49-0500 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Calvin Larsen Papers SPEC.PA.56.0020 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 0.24 Cubic feet 1956-1958, 2000 Calvin Luther Larsen (1927-2007) was a retired United States Navy lieutenant commander who primarily worked in naval photography positions; in 1956, he volunteered to winter over in Antarctica for Operation Deep Freeze II, and stayed on for part of the International Geophysical Year in 1957. The Calvin Larsen Papers, dated 1956-1958 and 2000, contain materials related to Calvin Larsen's time as a United States Navy photographer assigned to cover Operation Deep Freeze II and the International Geophysical Year in Antarctica. These materials include a set of 172 numbered and labeled 35mm Kodachrome slides taken by Larsen while in Antarctica, several magazines where his photographs of Antarctica were published, and an audio recording and transcript of an oral history interview with Larsen from 2000. (2) audiocassettes; (1) 2.5" letter document box; (1) letter folder English Larsen, Calvin Arrangement of Materials

The Calvin Larsen Papers are arranged in 2 series:

Series 1: International Geophysical Year Slides and Clippings Series 2: Polar Oral History

 Acquisitions Information

Accession No. PA.1998.0012: Calvin Larsen, 1998 February; Accession No. PA.2000.0033: Calvin Larsen, 2000 August

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Calvin Larsen Papers, SPEC.PA.56.0020, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program, Ohio State University

 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Contains audiocassettes.

 Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the University Archives reading room only. Audiovisual materials may need a use copy produced before access is allowed. Contact the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program at polararchives@osu.edu for more information.

 Use of Materials

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.

 Processing Information

Processed by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2025 November; Finding aid written by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2025 November

 Biographical Note

Calvin Luther Larsen (1927-2007) was a retired United States Navy lieutenant commander who primarily worked in naval photography positions during his career. He joined the Navy in 1945, and briefly drove aircraft fuel trucks before being transferred to Sangley Point in the Philippines, where he began working in the naval photography lab. While there, Larsen received training on aerial photography. He went to Navy Photo Basic "A" School and Camera Repair School in 1947, and stayed on at the repair school as an instructor for several years. During the Korean War, Larsen did combat photography in Asia, and photographed the signing of the armistice on July 27, 1952 between North and South Korea.

In 1956 Larsen volunteered for the Antarctic wintering over party with Operation Deep Freeze II that prepared for the International Geophysical Year in 1957-1958. After sailing south on the USS Glacier, Larsen documented daily life on the frozen continent from 1956-1957, and also did aerial photography on Otter and R4D aircraft, including on a flight over the South Pole. He also was one of the drivers on the first tractor train to Byrd Station, and documented that journey in photographs.

Following his time in Antarctica, Larsen continued as a naval photographer until his retirement from the Navy in 1972. After retirement, he worked as a freelance photographer for another 28 years. Mount Calvin in the Everett Range of Antarctica is named after Larsen.

 Scope and Contents

The Calvin Larsen Papers, dated 1956-1958 and 2000, contain materials related to Calvin Larsen's time as a United States Navy photographer assigned to cover Operation Deep Freeze II begining in 1956, and the International Geophysical Year in Antarctica from 1957-1958. These materials include a set of 172 numbered and labeled 35mm Kodachrome slides taken by Larsen while in Antarctica in 1956-1957, and several magazines where his photographs of Antarctica were published. Also included is an audio recording of an oral history interview with Larsen from 2000. This oral history is from a series of polar oral histories sponsored by the American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program. A transcript of the interview is included in addition to the audio recording.

 Larsen, Calvin Operation Deep Freeze United States. Navy--Photographers Aerial photogrammetry--Antarctica--20th century Antarctica--Discovery and exploration--American--20th century Antarctica--Social life and customs--20th century Audiocassettes Color slides International Geophysical Year, 1957-1958--Antarctica Military bases, American--Antarctica--Social conditions--20th century Oral histories (literary works) Photographers--Antarctica--20th century Photography, Military--Antarctica--20th century International Geophysical Year Slides and Clippings Series 1 1956-1958 Scope and Contents

The International Geophysical Year Slides and Clippings series dates from 1956 to 1958, and consists of images taken by Calvin Larsen as a Naval Photographer while in Antarctica during 1956 and 1957. Images come in the form of 35mm kodachrome color slides, and also photographs taken by Larsen and published in magazines. The slides and magazine images document his experience in Antarctica, including trips to the South Pole and Byrd Station, crevasses, aerial photography, Little America V, shipboard photography onboard the USS Glacier, and images of scientists from around the globe in Antarctica. Slide titles were taken from numbers and captions assigned by Larsen himself.

 Arrangement of Materials

This series is arranged in chronological order; within the slide set, images were numbered by Larsen, and remain in that order.

 Slide set 1 1 1956-1957 Existence and Location of Copies

Also available online.

 1: R4D Que Sera Sera was first plane to land at South Pole 1957 November 2: R4D off loading fuel on trail to Byrd 1957 November 3: R4D off loading fuel to buried tank alongside Byrd Tractor Train trail 1957 November 4: Williams Field at Little America V with R4D and OTTER aircraft 1957 January 5: Williams Field with Little American and Kainan Bay in background 1957 January 6: Little America V with Kainan Bay and Ross Sea in background 1957 January 7: Little America V seen from over the pressure ridges near Kainan Bay 1957 January 8: Supply dump at Kainan Bay 1957 9: McMurdo Sound 1957 September 10 10: Material offloaded at site of Beardmore Station 1957 September 10 11: R4D taxis after off loading material to build Beardmore Station 1957 September 10 12: Beardmore Station and R4D just after establishing 1957 September 13: Beardmore Station after antennas had been raised, two R4D aircraft 1957 September 14: C-130 takes off from NAF McMurdo 1956-1957 15: Ross Ice Shelf Traverse Party evening before departure from Little America V 1957 16: Ross Ice Shelf traverse about to leave Little America 1957 October 17: Peter Schoek, aurora, and air glow on Ross Ice Shelf 1957 October 18: Peter Schoek, International Geophysical Year scientist making an observation with a sun compass on a Sno-Cat 1957 October 19: Ross Ice Shelf Traverse party members work together making ice cores on traverse 1957 October 20: Ross Ice Shelf Traverse, Walter Boyd and Peter Schoek making ice cores 1957 October 21: Ross Ice Shelf Traverse Peter Scchoek moving snow by tent 1957 October 22: PHC Calvin Larsen, USN 1957 October 23: Dr. Albert Crary, setting up theodolite, with Hugh Bennett 1957 October 24: Dr. Albert Crary, making an observation 1957 25: Ross Ice Shelf Traverse stopped in field for observations near Roosevelt Island 1957 October 26: Peter Schoek and Hugh Bennet eating in Tusker Sno-Cat 1957 October 27: Hugh Bennet in a Tucker Sno-Cat in the field 1957 October 28: R4D from Little America off loads fuel into 5000 gallon tanks for tractors 1957 November 29: McMurdo Sound Station chapel 1957 September 30: Chapel at McMurdo Sound with Observation Hill in background 1957 November 31: Scott's hut on Cape Evans 1957 32: Scott's hut on Cape Evans 1957 33: Cocoa at Scott's hut on Cape Evans 1957 34: Shell motor spirits (gasoline) at Scott's camp at Cape Evans 1957 35: Shell motor spirits at Scott's camp at Cape Evans 1957 36: Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds 1957 37: Weddell seal on the ice of the Ross Sea 1956 October 38: Weddell seal on ice at Cape Evans 1956 October 39: Weddell seal and calf on ice of Ross Sea 1956 October 40: Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds 1957 41: Weddell seal and calf on ice of Ross Sea 1956 October 42: Photographer shooting an Adelie Penguin near Little America V 1956 November 43: Photographing an Emperor Penguin on bay ice near McMurdo Sound 1956 October 44: Statue of Captain Robert Falcon Scott in Christ Church, New Zealand 1956-1957 45: USS Glacier, CB-4 tied up in Rhode Island 1956 September 46: Ross Sea Iceberg, first encountered enroute to Antarctica 1956 October 47: Ice berg in the Ross Sea seen from USS Glacier enroute to Antarctica 1956 October 48: USS Glacier plows the stormy Ross Sea enroute south 1956 October 49: USS Glacier coated with ice 1956 October 50: USS Glacier nears the ice pack enroute 1956 October 51: Ross Sea pancake ice 1956 October 52: Ross Sea pancake ice 1956 October 53: Southern Ice Pack, USS Glacier in Ross Sea ice pack surrounding Antarctica 1956 October 54: USS Glacier leaves open water way in ice pack 1956 October 55: USS Glacier passes thru Ross Sea Ice Pack 1956 October 56: USS Glacier passes by Beaufort Island enroute McMurdo Sound 1956 October 57: Mount Erebus, Ross Island, Antarctica; active volcano 1956 58: Ross Ice Shelf and Ross Island in background, from USS Glacier 1956 November 59: Face of Ross Ice Shelf from USS Glacier 1956 November 60: Ross Ice Shelf at Kainan Bay where supplies for Little America V and Byrd Station were off-loaded 1956 December 61: Large iceberg breaks away from the Ross Ice Shelf 1956 November 62: Kainen Bay, Ross Ice Shelf, where Navy supply ships off load supplies for Deep Freeze II operations 1956 November 63: Supplies (fuel) being offloaded at Kainan Bay 1956 November 64: Kainan Bay, Ross Ice Shelf 1956 November 65: Ross Ice Shelf pressure ridge forces ice upward; two men from Little America V 1956 November 66: Ice reco party approaches crevasse, crevasse detector in background 1956 November 67: Crevasse in Ross Ice Shelf outlined by shadow from low sun 1956 November 68: Ross Ice Shelf crevasse as seen from air 1956 November 69: Crevasse sighted and flaggedd by recon member in helicopter, near Little America V 1956 November 70: C-4 charge detonated in bridge of crevasse, dropping bridge into crevasse 1956 November 71: Ross Ice Shelf open crevasse after snow bridge was dropped by C-4 charge 1956 November 72: Recon members digs into bridge of crevasse to plant C-4 charge 1956 November 73: Crevasse detector crew approaches a covered crevasse 1956 November 74: Crevasse detector on the Ross Ice Shelf near Littlet America 1956 November 75: Crevasse detector crew prepares to examine a crevasse on Ross Ice Shelf 1956 November 76: Member of Ross Ice Shelf trail recon party walks over sastrugi on Ross Ice Shelf 1956 November 77: Ross Ice Shelf crevasse examined after being blasted open by C-4 charge near Little America V 1956 November 78: Crevasse near Little America 1956 November 79: First tractor train bound for Byrd Station, 650 miles from Little America 1956 December 80: First tractor train bound for Byrd Station 1956 December 81: Lead rig of tractor train heads for 120W 80S 1956 December 82: First tractor train bound for Byrd Station with material to build station 1957 December 83: First tractor train carries materials to build Byrd Station 1956 December 84: First tractor train moves across Ross Ice Shelf 24 hours a day to Marie Byrd Land 1956 December 85: Train commander in weasel moves alongside train wanigans where crew slept and ate 1956 December 86: CWO Victor Young, USN MCB Spl gives signals to D-8 drivers 1956 December 87: First tractor train from Little America V to 80S 120W travels over sastrugi 1956 December 88: Calvin Larsen and driver on first tractor train 1956 December 89: Crevasses at "Crevasse Junction," train still has 440 miles to go 1956 December 90: Chunks of snow are cut to be melted for water for crew 1956 December 91: Tractor train approaches a snow cairn on trail 1956 December 92: Train commander's Weasel runs alongside train on trail 1956 December 93: First tractor train to Byrd carried material to build station 1956 December 94: Tractor train with material 1956 December 95: Byrd Station as built from material brought by first train; food supplies stacked in foreground 1957 January 96: Byrd Station after materials brought by trains one and two 1957 March 97: D-8 Cat in -40 degree Farenheit moving fuel at Little America 1957 98: Second tractor train ready to leave for Byrd Station in -45 degree weather 1957 99: Second tractor train ready to leave for Byrd Station in negative 45 degree weather 1957 100: Second tractor train ready to leave for Byrd Station 1957 January 101: Second train ready to leave Little America V for Byrd Station 1957 January 102: Second train returning to Little America V across Marie Byrd Land 1957 February 103: Second tractor returning to Little America V 1957 February 104: Second tractor train returns to Little America V 1957 February 105: Tractor train in blizzard on Byrd Plateau led by PHC Calvin Larsen on ski 1957 February 106: Tractor train in blizzard on Byrd Plateau 1957 February 107: Second train returns from Byrd Station 1957 February 108: Second trains returns from Byrd Station 1957 February 109: Leaving deep tracks in snow on Ross Ice Shelf 1957 February 110: Refueling tractors from fuel flown in by VX-6 from Little America 1957 February 111: Skua gull found 200 miles inland 1957 February 112: Calvin Larsen, second train return trip 1957 February 113: fFood supplies stacked at Little America V prior to winter night, no refrigeration needed 1957 FEbruary 114: Little America V, aerial view at end of summer season 1957 February 115: BUC Julian Gudmunson, Chief Builder at Little America working on tunnel to reach IGY facility 1957 January 116: Navy SEABEE cutting steel with torch at Little America V 1957 January 117: Deep Freeze II SeaBee working non an antenna in Little America V before winter night 1957 January 118: Dr. H. C. Hoinkes, Austrian IGY meteorologist 1957 January 119: ICY scientist working on a radiation reading device 1957 March 120: Dr. H. C. Hoinkes, Austrian ICY meteorologist 1957 January 121: Ben W. Harlin, United States IGY meteorologist taking snow core sample 1957 January 122: Hans Bengaard, Danish ionospheris physicist, IGY at Little America 1957 123: Ronald C. Taylor, United States meteorologist in Weather Central at Little America during Deep Freeze II 1957 124: Vladimer Rastorguev, USSR ICY meteorologist in Weather Central at Little America during Deep Freeze II 1957 January 125: Cook at Little America checks steaks 1957 126: Fred Milan, IGY physiologist measures food, with Dick Chappell, Eagle Scout science aide 1957 127: Hans Bengaard, Denmark, ionosphere physicist reads film 1957 128: IGY glaciologist measures ice cores taken from the Ross Ice Shelf 1957 129: Little America winter night storm 1957 June 130: After winter night storm access to Little America is reopened with shovels 1957 June 131: QMC Ben Verboncour and AEC Earl Tracey in chief's quarters during winter night 1957 132: Chess game during the winter night at Little America 1957 June 133: Chaplain John Zoller, USN speaking in chapel during winter night 1957 134: Ship's cook first class R. H. Banasiak, USN in midst of large steak grilling operation 1957 June 135: Deep Freeze II crew eating meal at Little America mess hall during winter night 1957 June 136: Dr. Hans Bengaard, Danish ionosphere scientist 1957 September 137: LCDR Hancock, supply officer, tries his hand as a barber 1957 March 138: QMC Ben Verboncouer, USN Leading Chief at Little America V is ready for mid-winter party 1957 June 21 139: Little America Band performs at mid-winter party 1957 June 21 140: Little America Band performs for Deep Freeze II crew at mid-winter party 1957 June 21 141: Chaplain John Zoller, USN entertains crew at mid-winter party 1957 June 21 142: HMl H. E. Butler performs for the Deep Freeze II crew at mid-winter party 1957 June 21 143: Radioman First Class B. F. Grice sings for the Deep Freeze II crew at Little America's mid-winter party 1957 June 21 144: Vladimar Rastorguev, IGY meteorologist from Russia enters weather observation on chart 1957 145: Meteorologist J. A. Alvarez IGY from Argentina works on weather chart 1957 146: Chief Quartermaster Ben Verboncouer views model of USS Franklin D. Roosevelt 1957 June 147: Chief Electronics Technician Earl Tracey in Chief's Quarters 1957 148: Little America after the winter night, entire camp covered by drifitng snow 1957 September 149: Little America as Deep Freeze II crew continued to dig supplies for coming summer's operations 1957 September 150: Little America as crew digs out supplies for summer operations 1957 September 151: Sea Bee uses cutting torch 1957 152: Chief Mechanic Ed Camp, USN breaking out trail flags for coming summer's trail recon operations 1957 September 153: Navy R4D ski plane taxis on McMurdo Sound bay ice 1957 September 154: Supplies offloaded from R4D to build communication camp at base of Beardmore Glacier 1957 September 155: Last two R4Ds leave after offloading supplies to build communications camp 1957 September 10 156: Five of us had built camp, had coffee on in 3 hours, sun just rose 1957 September 10 157: AB1 Oswalt raises flag at Beardmore 1957 September 12 158: Camp builders, looking at flag 1957 September 12 159: Crew at Beardmore Camp on southern edge of Ross Ice Shelf 1957 September 160: RMC McCue sends morse code while Captain Pullen, USMC cranks out the watts 1957 September 161: RMC McCue send weather report to NAF McMurdo for planes dropping supplies at the South Pole Station 1957 September 162: AB1 Oswalt and HM1 Smittle assemble radar reflectors to be placed around camp for incoming AC 1957 September 11 163: Chief McCue taking radar reflector out 1957 September 11 164: Chief McCue carrying a radar reflector 1957 September 11 165: Jamesway Huts put up at foot of Beardmore to make weather reports to McMurdo for AC flying to South Pole 1957 166: PO1 Smittle and CPO McCue eating at Beardmore weather station 1957 September 167: Captain Pullen, USMC the cook for the day, serves Chief McCue 1957 168: AB1 Oswalt and Captian Pullen eating a meal in Jamesway hut at foot of Beardmore Glacier 1957 169: Navy R4D ski planes bring supplies to Beardmore weather station 1957 September 170: R4D taxis away from Beardmore with the other four watching 1957 September 12 171: Two R4D AC supply the camp at Beadmore 1957 September 172: Five of us who built Beardmore camp: HM1 Smittle, RMC McCue, Captain Pullen, PHC Larsen, and AB1 Oswalt 1957 September The National Geographic Magazine volume CXII, number 3 1 2 1957 September Friends magazine 1 3 1958 September Polar Oral History Series 2 2000 August 21 Scope and Contents

The Polar Oral History series, dated August 21, 2000, contains audio recordings and transcripts of the interview between Larsen and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society conducted on August 21, 2000. 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 Larsen's work as a photographer while enlisted in the United States Navy, his stay in Antarctica during 1956-1957 as a naval photographer on Operation Deep Freeze II documenting the International Geophysical Year (IGY), working conditions in Antarctica, and brief descriptions of Larsen's naval photography career pre- and post- IGY.

 Arrangement of Materials

Materials are arranged in the order created during the interview process.

 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Contains audiocassettes.

 Existence and Location of Copies

Also available online.

 Interview recording Polar Oral History 6 1 2000 August 21 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements Audiocassette; approximate run time: 2 hours Existence and Location of Copies

Also available online.

 Interview recording copy Polar Oral History 9 1 2000 August 21 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements Audiocassette; approximate run time: 2 hours Transcript Polar Oral History 1 1 2000 August 21 Existence and Location of Copies

Also available online.