Guide to the Cliff L. Bekkedahl Oral History, 2001-2002 SPEC.PA.56.0086 Finding aid prepared by Audrey Wimbiscus Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210
2020 December This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2020-12-15T12:28-0500 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Cliff L. Bekkedahl Oral History SPEC.PA.56.0086 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 0.08 Cubic feet 2001-2002 Captain Clifford Lewis Bekkedahl was an officer in the United States Navy who traveled to Antarctica onboard the United States Ship Arneb as a part of Operation Deep Freeze I in 1955. The Cliff L. Bekkedahl Oral History, 2001-2002, contains audio recordings, notes, correspondence, and transcripts of the interview between Bekkedahl and Brian Shoemaker conducted on May 17, 2001. Topics discussed include Bekkedahl's service on the United States Ship Arneb, his memories of the trip to Antarctica onboard the Arneb for Operation Deep Freeze I, and other memories of his career in the United States Navy. (4) audiocassettes; (3) letter file folders English Bekkedahl, Clifford Arrangement of Materials

Materials are arranged in the order created during the interview process with the first file containing notes and correspondence created before, during, and after the interview.

 Acquisitions Information

Accession No. PA.2001.0005: Cliff L. Bekkedahl, 2001 May

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Cliff L. Bekkedahl Oral History, SPEC.PA.56.0086, 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. Audio/visual 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, 2020 October; Finding aid written by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2020 December

 Biographical Note

Captain Clifford Lewis Bekkedahl (1930-2017) was an officer in the United States Navy and an Arctic explorer. As a member of the ROTC at Miami University in Ohio, he was given his first assignment a month prior to his graduation in 1953; he was assigned to the United States Ship (USS) Arneb as a Lieutenant, junior grade, and navigator. After Bekkedahl had been onboard the ship for two years, the Arneb was assigned to Operation Deep Freeze I as the operation’s flagship. Bekkedahl consequently extended his enlistment for another year in order to make the trip to Antarctica.

After several preparatory voyages, the Arneb left for Antarctica via a stop in New Zealand. Upon leaving New Zealand, the ship’s commanding officer Captain Lawrence Smythe informed Bekkedahl and a select group of other officers that he had gone blind; essentially, Bekkedahl and three other junior officers with little experience handling ships in polar regions were in charge of the ship. Upon landing in Antarctica with the help of several icebreaker ships, the Arneb had its cargo unloaded and then departed on a cruise around the world; though Captain Smythe claimed to regain his eyesight after the ship left the Antarctic icepack, Bekkedahl and the other junior officers continued running the ship.

Following this trip, Bekkedahl was commissioned as a lieutenant, and continued his career in the U.S. Navy until he retired in 1979. He later became the editor in chief of The Polar Times, the magazine of the American Polar Society, and continued his involvement in polar explorer circles until his death.

 Scope and Contents

The Cliff L. Bekkedahl Oral History, dated 2001-2002, contains audio recordings, notes, correspondence, and transcripts of the interview between Captain Bekkedahl and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society conducted on May 17, 2001. 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 Bekkedahl's service on the United States Ship Arneb, his memories of the trip to Antarctica onboard the Arneb for Operation Deep Freeze I, and other memories of his career in the United States Navy.

 Existence and Location of Copies

Also available online.

 Arneb (Cargo ship). Bekkedahl, Clifford -- Interviews Byrd, Richard Evelyn, 1888-1957 Dufek, George J. (George John), 1903-1977 Operation Deep Freeze--Personal narratives United States. Navy--Officers United States. Navy--Personal narratives Audiocassettes Cargo handling--Equipment and supplies--Antarctica--20th century Cargo ships--Handling--20th century Cargo ships--United States--20th century Military life--American--20th century Oral histories (literary works) Pilots and pilotage--Antarctica--20th century Sailors--United States--Social life and customs--20th century Notes, correspondence Polar Oral History 3 1 2001-2002 Interview recording Polar Oral History 6 1-2 2001 May 17 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements Audiocassette; approximate run time: unknown Audiocassette; approximate run time: unknown Interview recording copy Polar Oral History 9 1-2 2001 May 17 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements Audiocassette; approximate run time: unknown Audiocassette; approximate run time: unknown Transcript Polar Oral History 3 2 2001 May 17 Final edited transcript Polar Oral History 3 3 2001 May 17 Existence and Location of Copies

Also available online.