2021-07-12 Guide to the Walter Giles Correspondence to Betty Kerr While Serving on the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition, 1941 January 18 SPEC.PA.56.5034 Finding aid prepared by Ashleigh Minor Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
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2021 April This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2021-07-12T13:16-0400 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Walter Giles Correspondence to Betty Kerr While Serving on the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition SPEC.PA.56.5034 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections Polar Small Accessions 5 0.02 Cubic feet 1941 January 18 Walter R. Giles (1912-1996) worked as an assistant pilot and radio operator for the West Base unit of the United States Antarctic Service Expedition led by Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd from 1939-1941. Walter Giles Correspondence to Betty Kerr While Serving on the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition includes a single-page, typed letter dated January 18, 1941, and the envelope it was mailed in. Giles talks about his experiences in Antarctica over the past year, and shares a few brief anecdotes about his time there. (1) letter file folder English Giles, Walter R. Acquisitions Information

Accession No. PA.2021.0006: James MacKenzie, 2021 April

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Walter Giles Correspondence to Betty Kerr While Serving on the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition, SPEC.PA.56.5033, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program, Ohio State University

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 Processing Information

Processed by: Ashleigh Minor, 2021 April; Finding aid written by: Ashleigh Minor, 2021 April

 Biographical Note

The United States Antarctic Service Expedition was sponsored by United States military and government agencies and was lead by Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd from 1939-1941. The goal of the expedition was to establish two new bases in Antarctica. At the time of the expedition, Walter R. Giles (1912-1996) was a Staff Sergeant of the United States Marine Corps, and worked as an assistant pilot and radio operator for the West Base unit of the Service Expedition.

 Scope and Contents

Walter Giles Correspondence to Betty Kerr While Serving on the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition includes a single-page, typed letter dated January 18, 1941 and the envelope it was mailed in. The letter thanks Betty Kerr, a friend of Giles located in Philadelphia, for letters and cards she sent him while he was in Little America, Antarctica. Giles talks about his experiences in Antarctica over the past year, including the cold temperatures and weather, food, entertainment options, and shares his hopes of bringing home a puppy born in Antarctica to his father. He shares a few brief anecdotes about his time there, including a forced plane landing 80 miles away from camp that resulted in a rescue hours later. Giles sends well wishes to friends and family back home, and mentions he is eager to reunite with "Evelyn" in Seattle.

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