Explorer's Gazette
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EEXXPPLLOORREERR’’SS GGAAZZEETTTTEE Published Quarterly in Pensacola, Florida USA for the Old Antarctic Explorers Association Uniting All OAEs in Perpetuating the History of U.S. Navy Involvement in Antarctica 1839–1999 Volume 5, Issue 2 Old Antarctic Explorers Association, Inc Apr-Jun 2005 SECOND OAEA SYMPOSIUM/REUNION A GREAT SUCCESS Photo courtesy of Bev Diller and Ralph Lewis HE BANNER OF THE SECOND OAEA REUNION FLIES in Antarctica was called out from the four corners of the Toutside the entrance of the Performing Arts reception room. The next business was a general Convention Center (PACC) in Oxnard, California. membership meeting that ended with a balloted vote of Nearly 200 OAEA members and guests attended the several resolutions that had been approved by the BOD three-day event. Registrations, trying to recognize old since the general meeting in Pensacola in 2002. Except friends and shipmates, and socializing in the PACC for an organized tour of the CEC/Seabee Museum in the reception room occupied the first day. Thursday early afternoon, there were no scheduled events for the morning started with an officer’s meeting, followed by a rest of the day. Memorial service in which the names of personnel killed See Oxnard on page 4 E X P L O R E R ‘ S G A Z E T T E V O L U M E 5, I S S U E 2 A P R − J U N 2 0 0 5 Members of the Board of Directors have been assigned P R E S I D E N T ’ S C O R N E R as committee chairman in accordance with the By-Laws of John Lamont West—OAEA President the Old Antarctic Explorers Association, Inc. The standing committees and respective chairman are: TO ALL OAES—The second OAEA Symposium, conducted in Oxnard, California, January 26–28, 2005 had more than Chapter Coordinator – Jim Wallace 200 in attendance. The Association is moving to accomplish Finance – Jim O’Connell the goals set. A revision to the By-Laws of the Association Scholarship – Walt Walter has already been published incorporating the resolutions Symposium – Marty Diller accepted during the symposium. The revision has been Membership – Billy-Ace Baker posted on the OAEA web site. OAEA Assistance – Steve Edelman Merchandise – Buz Dryfoose Praise was extended to the newly-formed New England Chapter in the previous Gazette. I would like to thank the New England Chapter for volunteering to host the third symposium in Rhode Island in 2006. More information will be forthcoming; so get out your pencils, mark your calendars, and plan on joining us there. For long-term planning, the 2008 Symposium will be in Pensacola. All of you are important in the advancement and growth of the Old Antarctic Explorers Association, Inc., I solicit your recommendations and suggestions on those areas you perceive as going well, and on those areas you feel we can do better. Feel free to email me at [email protected] or write me at 201 N. Bradford Street, Seaford, DE 19973. To those who have lost a loved one, our prayers are with you. To those under the weather, we wish you a speedy Immediate Past President Jim Eblen, and recovery. Until next time, take care. President Elect John Lamont West. I wish to take this opportunity to personally thank John Lamont West everyone who put forth that extra effort in making the President second symposium a resounding success. Seeing shipmates and friends, after nearly thirty years, was one of the highlights of the symposium for me. An election of officers brought about several changes. The following are the Association Officers: President – John Lamont West Executive Vice President – Henry Storm Secretary/Treasurer – Jim O’Connell Past President/Director – Jim Eblen Life Director – Billy-Ace Baker Director – Marty Diller Director – Buz Dryfoose Director – Steve Edelman Photo courtesy of Marty Diller Director – Bill Maloney Director – Charles Verba Entrance to the CEC/Seabee Museum at Port Hueneme The Director – Jim Wallace current museum, located inside the Construction Battalion Director – H. J. “Walt” Walter Center gate, will be replaced by a modern state-of-the-art facility in the near future. The new CEC/Seabee Museum will be located outside the gate in order to make it more As the torch passes, I would like to extend a well earned accessible to the public. thanks to Jim Eblen, Ed Feeney, and Barry Chase for the contributions each made in nurturing the OAEA through its founding years 2 E X P L O R E R ‘ S G A Z E T T E V O L U M E 5, I S S U E 2 A P R − J U N 2 0 0 5 GROWLERS & BERGY BYTES Feature Stories, Odds & Ends, Collected, Compiled & Written by Billy-Ace Penguin Baker Cover Story⎯Oxnard Symposium/Reunion Great Success. Page 1 and 4. § Pensacola, FL—Antarctic Place-Name Certificates found in Fort Myers Florida. Page 4. § Letters To The Editor. Praise, criticisms and April Events assorted comments. Page 6. 21 Apr 1902 Von Drygalski sets out for Gaussberg § to see for himself what his men had Brunswick, ME—Senator Collins recognized for discovered helping OAEA with Save-A-Herk efforts. Page 9. 24 Apr 1916 Shackleton departs for South Georgia § in the James Caird New Milton, Hampshire, UK—South Pole builder 06 Apr 1967 Scott Base Magistrate imposes BUC Tom Osborne: Poetic writings. Page 10. § gambling tax on McMurdo BINGO McMurdo Station—The Immaculately Preserved games OAE auctioned on eBay. Page 11. 30 Apr 1972 PM-3A reactor scrammed & shutdown § 07 Apr 1982 Convention on the Conservation of Oxnard, CA—Para-Rescue Team rescues OAEA Antarctic Marine Living Resources Scholarship Fund with $1,000 donation. Page 12. (CCAMLR) becomes effective § Warwick, RI—MCB-71 pledges $10,000 to May Events CEC/Seabee Museum construction. Page 18. 10 May 1916 Shackleton reaches South Georgia § Pensacola, FL—OAEA members who write 08 May 1916 Mackintosh & Hayward perish books—A list of Authors and their book titles. 01 May 1931 Norway claims Peter I Island Page 20. 08 May 1963 Jack Handy discovers use for § discarded mukluk tongues McMurdo Station—Russians rescue aircraft from 08 May 1965 Carl Disch disappears at Byrd Station South Pole. Page 21. § Rothera Point—Scientists from the British Antarctic June Events Survey report that grass has become established in 23 Jun 1912 Filchner sets out to find New South the Antarctic for the first time in recorded history, Greenland indicating the continent is warming to temperatures 23 Jun 1928 Scapa capsizes off Laurie Island unseen for 10,000 years. Tufts of grass have 13 Jun 1933 Australia claims its Antarctic territory previously grown on patches of Antarctica during 21 Jun 1967 Dave Bresnahan drives Nodwell into summer, but the scientists have now observed bigger bay, and forgets to turn off the head- areas surviving the winter and spreading in summer lights (See photo on page 9) months. 28 Jun 1982 First Toothfish pirates violate CCAMLR treaty 3 E X P L O R E R ‘ S G A Z E T T E V O L U M E 5, I S S U E 2 A P R − J U N 2 0 0 5 Oxnard From page 1 According to reunion committee organization, their records were stored household goods, he contacted me and spokesperson, Bob Gaboury, nearly 200 in warehouses when the command then forwarded the certificates to me. members and guests were registered for deployed to Antarctica. One such staff Since receiving the certificates early this the Symposium/Reunion. Only about function was the History Division. year I have located three of the named 180 of those registered actually Among the records of the History OAEs, RM1 Butch Suchland, EN1 Ken attended. Hospitality kits were mailed to Division were a number of Antarctic Henry, and RM1 Dennis Stout. I have members who were unable to attend. geographic place-name certificates forwarded their certificates to them. Bob also reported that Dick made out to people who the History Two of the OAEs are deceased, and Spaulding, Ed Lambert, Milford Division had not been able to locate. ironically, both died while serving in the “Dutch” Holland, Gene Whitehead, and When the command redeployed from United States Antarctic Program. Ray Clark won the five Grand Prize the ice, RMC Noah D. White discovered Harvey High died in Punta Arenas while cash door prizes of $100 each. Dick some of these certificates while going serving on the RV Hero and Dean Spaulding and Gene Whitehead donated through one of the warehouses looking Fadden died in Christchurch New their prize checks to the OAEA for communications records. Chief Zealand while serving at DF Advance Scholarship Fund. There were numerous White recognized some of the names on Headquarters, Christchurch. other items raffled off as door prizes. the certificates, so he took them to his Records of who won what were not office. During the remainder of his tour The names of the OAEs on the available. in the command he was able to locate remaining certificates are listed in the A separate article concerning the several of the people and forwarded Locator Column in this issue of the Scholarship Fund appears on page 12. their certificates to them. When he was Gazette. These certificates are undated. § transferred, he took the remaining However, RADM J. C. Abbot, Jr., who Antarctic Place-Name certificates home with him. was the task force commander from February 1967 through June 1969, Certificates Found Over the years the certificates were all signed all of them. The certificates are By Billy-Ace Penguin but forgotten and were only recently on 8X10 light card stock.