Biography of Commander James Edgar Waldron
Introduction
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Chapter 1 - The Adventure Begins
The author tells of his volunteering to winter-over in the Antarctic and his
subsequent transfer to Air Development Squadron Six (VX-6), located at Naval
Air Station, Quonset Point, Rhode Island. After giving a brief description of
this unusual squadron, with its mixed aircraft and differently trained pilots
and air crewmen, he tells of his first flight in an R4D with skis and a near
accident when the skis failed to retract.
Note: The early chapters are followed by a short item,
called Antarctic Facts. These are encyclopedic drawn items which tell of the
geological and historical facts concerning the Antarctic.
Chapter 2 - Shortened Training Necessary
Here the author is given the role of Air Development Squadron Six and its assignment as
the aviation arm of Operation DeepFreeze. The author tells of his first
takeoff using eighteen JATO rockets for boost. Next, the author and other
Antarctic bound squadron pilots fly to Sondestrom, Greenland and test their
aircraft by landing on the 10,000 feet high Greenland Ice Cap.
Chapter 3 - Leaving for the Ice
The author tells of a flight he made in a squadron helicopter and his
subsequent grounding for one week for having "flat-hatted" over a nude
sunbather. On September 11, 1956, The author and his flight crew departed
Rhode Island on a journey which would take them all the way to the Antarctic
Continent. He describes the takeoff from the Alameda Naval Air Station, in
Oakland, California, when the aircraft was extremely overloaded and an engine
failure could have been disastrous. Following this he describes the 16+ hours
enroute to Hawaii.
Chapter 4 - Poised and Ready
While VX-6 squadron aircraft gathered at N.A.S. Barbers Point, Oahu, Hawaii
awaiting orders before proceeding southward, flight crews enjoyed a bit of
rest and relaxation in Honolulu and Waikiki Beach. The author takes time out
to describe the squadron aircraft and their limitations.
Chapter 5 - South Pacific Crossing
Leaving Hawaii behind, Squadron VX-6 aircraft fly singularly, first to Canton
Island and then on to the Fiji Island, where the flight crews wait for
further orders to proceed to New Zealand. The author describes his short stay
in the Fiji Islands and the flight to New Zealand which followed. The South
Island of New Zealand was experiencing their early spring and the flight
crews suffer from the sudden change in temperature, between Hawaii and New
Zealand. A parachute training flight by the squadron R5D almost proves
disastrous in that one of the parachutes hung up on the tail of the aircraft
and it was thirty minutes before the jumper could free himself.
Chapter 6 - Off To the Ice
The author describes his long flight (16+ hours) from Christchurch, N.Z. to
NAF McMurdo Sound. In taking off from New Zealand in a heavily loaded
aircraft, the JATO rockets set the tail wheel of his aircraft on fire and
observers on the ground thought the aircraft would soon be consumed. After
the tail wheel burned itself out the aircraft flew over thousands of miles of
treacherous seas. One aircraft lost its electronic compass and a second
aircraft had to alter its course so as to steer the disabled aircraft
southward. Upon arrival at NAF McMurdo there was a partial whiteout condition
and several extra landing approaches had to be made to the runway. One of the
squadron's P2V aircraft crashed on the ice, killing four of its crew and
seriously injuring four others.
Chapter 7 - Life at McMurdo
The author tells that even in the Antarctic he is still required to work as
an Administrative Officer. Besides handling the routine paperwork he also had
to help identify the deceased airmen and inventory their personal effects. He
ends the chapter with a description of NAF McMurdo and its environs.
Chapter 8 - The Pole is our Goal
The first Antarctic flights is to Little America Five Station, 400+ miles to
the east, to deliver mail, cargo and personnel to the remote station. Little
America, built on ice, is described as being far different than NAF McMurdo,
which was built on a volcanic island.
Chapter 9 - Heading inland to Beardmore
Before attempting a landing at the South Pole, squadron aircraft were
required to establish a weather and refueling station, Beardmore Camp,
halfway to the Pole on the Ross Sea Ice Shelf. The author describes the
beauty of the mountains and the ice as his aircraft proceeds inland from NAF
McMurdo.
Chapter 10 - All is not work
The author indicates that there is a competitive feeling between Navy and Air
Force pilots, due to their different missions and the approaches to carrying
out these missions. This chapter contains two ditties which VX-6 pilots sang
during their off-hours in which they needle the Air Force and lament their
lame R4Ds.