Teen Cadet's Antarctic Adventure: A Journey of a Lifetime

1. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian Cadets Visit Antarctica

2. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian

3. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian In September 1956, 17-year-old Cadet Major Robert N. Barger of Peoria, IL got the chance of a lifetime. Joined Operation Deepfreeze II, a year long US Navy operation to prepare for the International Geophysical Year Spent four months on Antarctica

4. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian Route of travel to Antarctica for Cadet Barger Peoria, IL to Donaldson AFB (Greenville, SC) to Travis AFB (Los Angeles, CA) to Hickham AFB (Honolulu, HI) to Canton Island, to Fiji Islands to Melbourne, Australia to Christchurch, New Zealand to McMurdo Sound, Antarctica Arrived 25 October 1956 at Williams Air Operating Facility. Temp: -65 degrees

5. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian Most of Barger’s time was spent flying on a C-124 Globemaster, largest USAF transport at the time

6. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian • First teenager to fly over the South Pole • Crew on first USAF flight over South Pole • First teenager to celebrate 18th birthday at bottom of the world • First Catholic youth to serve as altar boy on continent of Antarctica • One of 4 volunteers to swim in 29 degree waters to test new military survival gear (he sprung a leak) • While in Antarctica, had tea with Sir Edmund Hillary, leader of the New Zealand base camp

7. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian

8. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian McMurdo Station, Antarctica

9. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian Barger & colleague introduce themselves to local wildlife—NG 9/57

10. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian British Explorer Robert Scott established a base at McMurdo in 1900. This is his hut, built and stocked in 1904—how it looks today, so well preserved due to the cold and lack of bacteria.

11. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian President Eisenhower and Cadet Major Barger at the Oval Office. Barger is presenting Eisenhower with a lucky horseshoe plaque—the horseshoe came from the Scott Expedition in 1910

12. New York Wing Office of the Wing Historian New York Times announced in October 1957 that 2 CAP cadets had been selected to join Operation Deepfreeze III. Cadets William Ehrlich (18) of Lincoln, NE and George Shaeffer (19) of Camas, WA were slated to begin their trip in October and spend 4 months at McMurdo Sound In 1968, Cadets Don Sanborne (20) of Bangor, ME and Jerry Fountain (20) of Evergreen, OH worked with the NSF’s Antarctic Research Program.