Operation Deep Freeze, 50 Years Of US Air Force Airlift In .

Front CoverPhoto 1: In 1956, a dog sled waits near a C-124 Globemaster II parked on the ice at McMurdoSound.Photo 2: On 22 October 2002, CMSgt Richard LaPlante assesses this New York Air National GuardLC-130 Hercules after the aircraft was grounded because of a major storm. (National ScienceFoundation)

OPERATION DEEP FREEZE50 YEARS OF US AIR FORCE AIRLIFT IN ANTARCTICA1956-2006Ellery D. WallworkwithKathryn A. WilcoxsonOffice of HistoryAir Mobility CommandScott Air Force Base, IllinoisOctober 2006

FOREWORDOn 21 October 1956, the first of many US Air Force aircraft, a C‑124 nicknamed “MissNorth Caroline,” landed in Antarctica after a 12½-hour flight from Christchurch, New Zealand.This flight initiated the Air Force’s participation in one of its longet running missions. Actually,the US Navy started this “temporary” Antarctic mission in 1955, with Air Force augmentationbeginning the very next year. In the course of the next 50 years, the Air Force’s role wouldcontinually evolve until it took over the mission’s lead in 1998.The personnel participating in Operation DEEP FREEZE have consistently exhibited thekey competencies of the US Air Force. Time and again, they have demonstrated their courage,determination, innovation, and hard work to accomplish this mission, often in Spartan conditions.Their endurance ensured the success of the scientific research, providing transportation for thescientists and support personnel as well as their supplies and equipment. Between October1956 and February 2006, US Air Force airlifters would fly over 5,800 missions, moving morethan 78,900 tons of supplies and equipment and 94,500 passengers between New Zealand andAntarctica and around the Antarctic continent itself. And, that does not include the transportationof materials and passengers between the United States and New Zealand!Leadership of the Air Force’s portion of the mission began with the Tactical Air Command,which owned most of the troop transport C‑124 aircraft in 1956. Once those aircraft transferredto the Military Air Transport Service, that organization and its successor, the Military AirliftCommand, organized and directed the Air Force mission piece. This new arrangement lasteduntil the Air Force reorganized, inactivating the Military Airlift Command and activatingthe Air Mobility Command in its stead. Most recently, mission command transferred to thePacific Air Forces. This last modification reflected a change in the overall concept, moving theleadership from a mission-related structure to a location-focused architecture. This is not tosay one was better than the other, but it more closely reflected the Air and Space ExpeditionaryForce organization used throughout the Air Force for other operations.The year this study was published marked the beginning of a year-long celebration of the60th Anniversary of the Air Force, and it also witnessed the 50th Anniversary of the Service’sinauguration in Operation DEEP FREEZE. This study reflects upon the accomplishments thusfar in support of this rigorous mission. Yet, even though the mission continues, the monographwill not become dated, but will remain indispensable as it tracks the dedication, ingenuity, andlabor behind those first 50 years of Antarctic operations. As we continue to learn more aboutoperations in such a harsh environment, it will provide an insight into how far the men andwomen of the airlift community have come, and it will help to illuminate what they have yet toachieve. Perhaps, one day, a complementary study will highlight the accomplishments of thenext 50 years of flight in Antarctica.LILLIAN E. NOLANAir Mobility CommandCommand Historianiii

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PREFACEWhy spend time extensively reviewing a mission such as Operation DEEP FREEZE? Onbalance, it represents only a sliver of the overall airlift function. For example, Air MobilityCommand flew over 44,850 airlift missions during 2005, and a mere 426 of them directlysupported DEEP FREEZE. * Yet, Operation DEEP FREEZE now spans 50-plus years andoccurs in one of the most unique locations in the world. It is precisely this microcosm,which covers a significant breadth of time and a depth of experience unobtainable from mostconventional air mobility missions, that makes DEEP FREEZE worthy of an in-depth analysis.Looking at a year-by-year account of such a distinctive mission provides a fascinating modelof air mobility. From this model, one can gain an appreciation of the perspective required forsuch an effort, the ingenuity achieved, and adversity overcome. This model can then serve asa baseline for other air mobility missions, whether transporting troops for a contingency, aidto a humanitarian disaster, or logistical support for routine daily operations.As such, this study is primarily laid out in a chronological fashion, beginning with aquick look at the Navy’s early aviation in Antarctica. The narrative looks at each year ofthe operation, but does not make an attempt to analyze every mission flown. Rather, itlooks at the difficulties, unique approaches, failures, and successes during that particularyear. Periodically (Chapters 3, 6, and 10), the narrative breaks away from this chronologicalapproach and presents material in a more generalized fashion, focusing instead on some ofthose key issues that remained relatively constant throughout the 50 years (although, thematerial in these three chapters primarily looks at those topics relative to the time period inwhich they appear in the chronological narrative). The large number of photographs includedin this study is not intended to make this a picture book; each one specifically illustrates apoint in the narrative. Likewise, the appendices are intended to provide a quick reference forkey dates and statistics, as well as information to augment the narrative.This study is intended to review the air mobility operations of the US Air Force inAntarctica over the last 50 years. While it often mentions the parallel and overlapping effortsof US Navy, Coast Guard, and Army personnel, and civilian scientists and contractors, as wellas the assistance of other nations, it was not feasible to cover their contributions in any greatdetail in this publication, although the Air Force could not have achieved this remarkablesuccess in airlift operations on its own. Further research into each one’s specific role isencouraged.Likewise, one historian could not take full credit for such a product as this. It couldonly be accomplished because of the various historians, information managers, public affairsspecialists, mission commanders, and many others who meticulously prepared DEEP*Rpt, 18 AF TACC Executive Decision Support Division-Fusion Cell, “2005 Yearly Highlights (01 Jan 2005 to 31 Dec2005),” 1 Feb 06.v

FREEZE reports, collected statistical data, and preserved key documentation. Specialthanks also belong to a number of folks. Kathryn Wilcoxson, AMC Office of History, for herexpert editing and in-depth, fact-checking skills. Ginger Hickey, 375th CommunicationsSquadron, Base Multimedia Center, for her professional photo restoration, comprehensivedesign layout, press setup, and creative cover design of this publication. Lillian Nolan,director of the AMC Office of History, for her overall support and for reviewing the firstdraft and providing feedback. Mark Morgan, AMC Office of History, for his valuableinsight into US Navy terminology and aircraft technology resources. Archie Difante, JoeCaver, Toni Petito, and many others at the Air Force Historical Research Agency. MarkStanley and TSgt Leigh Mahnesmith, USAF Historian Development School at the Ira EakerCollege for Professional Development. Al Miller and CMSgt Dave Anderson, Air NationalGuard History Office. Gary Boyd, 305th Air Mobility Wing History Office. Steve Larsen,22d Air Refueling Wing History Office. TSgt Kevan Kipp, 62d Airlift Wing History Office.TSgt Julie Meintel, 445th Airlift Wing History Office. John Lacomia, 60th Air MobilityWing History Office. Margaret Nigra, US Transportation Command Research Center.In studying Antarctica, one must always remember that it is a harsh and volatileenvironment. In 1965, one wing commander, Brigadier General James W. Chapman,Jr., personified the region this way: “The Antarctic, fascinating as a beautiful woman, isoften as perverse and is always as unpredictable and dangerous.” * While many todaymay disagree with his choice of analogy, few could argue with the sentiment. Such anenvironment demanded much from those who served there. For their efforts, this studyis dedicated to all who supported the Operation DEEP FREEZE mission, especially thosewho gave their lives in pursuit of this important undertaking for science and internationalpeace.Ellery D. WallworkAMC Staff Historian*Foreword to Rpt, Lt Col Robert D. Coffee, USAF Task Force Commander, “Final Report: DEEP FREEZE 65,” n.d.vi

A NOTE ON SOURCESThe majority of sources used for this report were available in the Air MobilityCommand’s Office of History. Much of it existed in hardcopy, while some was availableonly through the medium of microfilm. Several of the official documents not found atAMC were available at the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA), Air NationalGuard Office of History, or the applicable wing history offices. Those documents foundin the USAF Collection at AFHRA include the call number and IRIS (inferential retrievaland indexing system) identifier in parentheses as part of the footnote, whereby the firstnumber of “K490.04-1, IRIS 00508382” refers to the call number and the second theIRIS identifier. Most of the documents found at the AMC or wing offices are most likelyavailable at AFHRA as well. Additionally, a few references also used websites of the USNaval Historical Center, US Antarctic Program, various DEEP FREEZE veterans groups,contractor organizations, and the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.While this report is unclassified in its entirety, many of the histories and some ofthe documents referenced are not, since they covered much more than Operation DEEPFREEZE. For simplicity in building this study, I have not listed the classification of theindividual reports. However, the reader should be aware that requests to view such documentsmay fall under the appropriate restrictions associated with classified information.vii

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