November 29, 1929 - First Flight over the South Pole

This Friday is November 29, 2013. To most people it is just Black Friday, worthy of shopping at discounted prices, but actually, it is the anniversary of the first flight to the South Pole. On November 29, 1929, Naval Aviator Richard Byrd and three others made a voyage to the South Pole. It has been 84 years since the first documented flight to the South Pole. Byrd was able to have the first documented flight over the South Pole because of his prior flights elevating his career giving him the opportunity to take this flight.

Richard Byrd, born October 25, 1888 in Virginia, graduated from the United States Naval Academy. Before his big flight that landed him with 22 citations and special commendations, Byrd commanded a naval station in Nova Scotia. After World War I, he was promoted to lieutenant commander and in 1925, he led the naval air unit of an expedition to Greenland. Byrd was no stranger to being a navigator and would use his extensive skills to take his first polar expedition to the Arctic.

During his expedition to the Arctic, he claimed a vast territory for the United States and named it after his wife. With his trusty pilot Floyd Bennett, Byrd navigated to the North Pole. They claimed to be the first to fly over the North Pole, but his claim was later disputed. For this expedition he received a Medal of Honor for the achievement. After this flight, Byrd took many more and ultimately flew over the South Pole.

In 1927, Byrd announced his intention to take a non-stop flight over the Atlantic Ocean to the Orteig Prize. Once again, he chose Floyd Bennett as his pilot. During their practice takeoff, the plane crashed injuring both Byrd and Bennett. While they took time to recover from their injuries, Charles Lindberg won the prize. This made Byrd change his pilot to Bernt Balchen along with two other companions as mentioned earlier. January 21, 1927, the three made it to Paris. Landing was not an option because of the clouds and they crash-landed near a beach on the coast of Brittany. All four guys survived this tragedy and for this successful flight, France made Byrd a Commandant of the French Foreign Legion. With his new position, Byrd decided to go on a voyage to Antarctica.

With his fame from his prior expeditions and his high rankings, Byrd received funding for his voyage that resulted in his 19 hour flight over the South Pole and back. Once Byrd was able to reach Antarctica they set up the base they named “Little America”. Flights were made from this base and on November 29, 1929, Byrd and three others made the first flight over the South Pole. For this achievement, Byrd was promoted to rear admiral. In the following years, Byrd spent many more winters doing polar research until his death in 1957. Byrd and his three companions were the first to make a 19 hour flight to the South Pole from their base in Antarctica.

All the expeditions Byrd completed before the South Pole were just practices for his real test to be the first to fly over the South Pole. 84 years later, Black Friday and the first flight over the South Pole share the same date. While others celebrate the holiday by shopping, I will know this day has a different anniversary.

- Dot L., Ruben P., and Nate G.