2019-06-13 Guide to the "Memories of an Old Ship: The Bear" Manuscript by Russell S. Robinson, circa 1991 SPEC.PA.56.5025 Finding aid prepared by Andrew Cline Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
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2019 June This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2026-06-08T10:15-0400 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard "Memories of an Old Ship: The Bear" Manuscript by Russell S. Robinson SPEC.PA.56.5025 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections Polar Small Accessions 4 0.02 Cubic feet circa 1991 Russell S. Robinson was a volunteer crewmember on the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition (BAE II), undertaken from 1933-1935. Robinson crewed the outbound voyage from Virginia to Antarctica onboard the Bear of Oakland, an icebreaking ship and one of two vessels used by the expedition team. "Memories of an Old Ship: The Bear" Manuscript by Russell S. Robinson is a narrative describing the near-catastrophe that occurred soon after the initiation of the ship's voyage on October 4, 1933, and includes two hand-drawn diagrams of the Bear of Oakland's architecture and mechanical systems. The manuscript is dated circa 1991. (1) letter file folder English Robinson, Russell S. Acquisitions Information

Accession no. PA.1991.0001: Alton A. Lindsey, 1991 January

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], "Memories of an Old Ship: The Bear" Manuscript by Russell S. Robinson, SPEC.PA.56.5025, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program, Ohio State University

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 Processing Information

Processed by: Andrew Cline, 2019 May; Finding aid written by: Andrew Cline, 2019 May

 Biographical Note

Russell S. Robinson served as a volunteer crewmember on the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition (BAE II), undertaken from 1933-1935. Robinson crewed the outbound voyage from Virginia to Antarctica onboard the Bear of Oakland, an icebreaking ship and one of two vessels used by the expedition team. Soon after the initiation of the voyage on October 4, 1933, the Bear of Oakland encountered the edge of a hurricane. It was discovered that the ship’s pumping systems had become clogged with a sodden, densely-packed mixture of soil-like coal selected by Richard E. Byrd as the fuel source for the expedition ships. Robinson and his crewmates struggled to keep the ship afloat, using buckets to bail the water flooding the ship’s fore. After some difficulty, the Bear of Oakland was towed to Southport, North Carolina for a few days before it resumed its Antarctic voyage in November 1933.

 Scope and Contents

"Memories of an Old Ship: The Bear" Manuscript by Russell S. Robinson is a narrative documenting Robinson's experiences crewing the icebreaking ship Bear of Oakland, one of two vessels bound for Antarctica to conduct the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition (BAE II). In addition to an account of the near-catastrophe that occurred soon after the initiation of the ship's voyage on October 4, 1933, the manuscript includes two hand-drawn diagrams of the Bear of Oakland's architecture and mechanical systems. The manuscript is dated circa 1991.

 Related Materials Admiral Richard E. Byrd Papers Byrd Antarctic Expedition II Collection Russell S. Robinson Collection Bear of Oakland (Ship) Byrd Antarctic Expedition (2nd: 1933-1935)--Personal narratives Robinson, Russell S. Antarctica--Discovery and exploration--American--20th century Icebreakers (Ships)--United States--20th century Manuscripts (documents) Sailors--United States--20th century