Materials are arranged in the order created during the interview process with the first file containing administrative materials created before, during, and after the interview.
Accession No. PA.2000.0041: Harries-Clichy Peterson, 2000 May
[identification of item], Harries-Clichy Peterson Oral History, SPEC.PA.56.0053, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program, Ohio State University
Contains audiocassettes.
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Processed by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2020 March; Finding aid written by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2020 April
Colonel Harries-Clichy Peterson (1924-2002) was a member of the Ronne Antarctic Expedition of 1946-1947. Sometimes referred to as “Pete,” Peterson’s unique first name came from Camp Clichy near Paris where his parents were married, and a Colonel Harries who was the best man at said wedding. He joined the United States Marines at age 17 during World War Two, where he earned a Silver Star in combat; following the war’s end, he returned to Harvard, where he had previously been studying towards a Bachelor of Science in Physics. While in school, Peterson worked part-time at the Roche Metallurgical Laboratory making high temperature thermocouples.
At the end of 1945, Peterson joined the Ronne Expedition to Antarctica led by Finn Ronne. On the expedition, he was responsible for collecting data on solar radiation, cosmic radiation, weather data collection, magnetism and other meteorological observations. Peterson also had several independent contracts for his own scientific research on the trip as well, including one from the Franklin Institute for cosmic radiation research, and another from General Electric to seed clouds with iodine to make precipitation.
Following his trip to Antarctica, Peterson graduated from Harvard Business School in 1950, and worked as an investment banker. As he was still a Reserve Officer in the Marine Corps, he was called back to active duty for two and a half years during the Korean War, where he saw combat. Peterson then returned to work as an investment banker, and also worked as a consultant.
The Harries-Clichy Peterson Oral History, dated 1999 to 2000, contains audio recordings, administrative information, and transcripts of the interview between Colonel Peterson and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society conducted on May 8, 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 Peterson's participation in the Ronne Antarctic Expedition from 1946 to 1947, his duties collecting meteorological data on the expedition, a dangerous fall he took into an ice crevasse, and memories from his times in the United States Marine Corps during World War Two and the Koren War. Peterson also briefly discussed his childhood, college years, and what he had done in his career since returning from Antarctica.
Also available online.