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.2002.0024: Jack B. Long, 2002 September
[identification of item], Jack B. Long Oral History, SPEC.PA.56.0126, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program, Ohio State University
Contains audiocassettes.
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Processed by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2023 November; Finding aid written by: Tricia McEldowney, 2024 January
Jack B. Long (circa 1936-) became interested in Antarctic exploration because his older brother, William E. “Bill” Long. Bill had applied to the Arctic Institute of North America and encouraged Jack to do the same. Both men were assigned to Antarctica in 1957 for the International Geophysical Year (IGY). Jack was assigned to Byrd Station to join the Sentinel Mountains Traverse (also called Byrd Traverse I) as a mechanic for Tucker Sno-Cat over-snow vehicles. Jack was an emergency addition to the traverse group because the previous mechanic had to unexpectedly back-out due to health concerns.
Upon arriving at Byrd Station, Long immediately set to work repairing the neglected Sno-Cats in preparation for the traverse. The group of six men, led by Dr. Charles Bentley, departed in November 1957. They reached the Sentinel Mountains before returning to Byrd Station in February 1958. In November of that year, Long departed on Dr. Bentley’s Horlick Mountains Traverse (also called Byrd Traverse II). He left Antarctica in 1959, and eventually moved to Wisconsin to oversee the construction of a new model of Tucker Sno-Cats. Long returned to Antarctica for Dr. Albert Crary’s 1960-1961 McMurdo-South Pole Traverse; Crary’s 1961-1962 Discovery Deep Traverse; and the first 200 miles of the Queen Maud Land Traverse I in 1963.
Although he did not participate directly, Long assisted in planning the logistics for the Queen Maud Land Traverse II (1964-1965), Queen Maud Land Traverse III (1965-1966), and Queen Maud Land Traverse IV (1966-1967). He oversaw the maintenance of the vehicular equipment in Antarctica, trained the mechanics that would care for it on site, and built maintenance garages at several Antarctic research stations. Despite not having a college degree at the time, Long did this work as a member of the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty. He eventually earned a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1968. Long Gables, twin peaks in the Sentinel Mountains in Antarctica, were named for Jack B. Long.
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).