NEW BYRD STATION

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29748, 15 February 1962, Page 4

NEW BYRD STATION

Dedication For Research BYRD STATION (Antarctica), Feb. 12. Far inland on the Antarctic continent. 150 men of the United States Navy Antarctic ’ask force and the scientists they support today dedicated a new station for future polar research. At 9.15 p.m. with the temperature at 20deg below zero, the group assembled on the ramp leading down into one of the huge tunnels in the snow. Most of the men built the station, referred to as New Byrd until today’s brief ceremony, which gave it the name of the old station it replaces. The Commander of the United States Navy support force (Rear-Admiral D. M. Tyree) commended the men of the Seabee detachment, ’ed by Lieutenant D. C. deVicq, who "carved a new Antarctic station out of the desert.” He referred to the hard snow plateau on which Byrd station has been built.

Admiral Tyree said the project marked a radical advance in working and living conditions in the Antarctic In 224 working days, the men of the construction battalion built more than a mile and a half of deep snowtrenches roofed over with metal arches and covered with snow. The buildings of the new station rest in these long tunnels, free from tne heavy drifting which is crushing the old Byrd station, about five miles away.

Within two weeks, the construction team will move out and return to the United States. In addition to the party of American scientists and Navy men at the dedication, there were three representatives of the New Zealand expedition including Mr A. Roberts, leader at Scott Base. Mr I. Richards, scientific leader at Scott Base, and the superintendent of the Antarctic division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (Mr G. W. Markham). ,