As a merchant seaman in the early 1930s, Louis Colombo was a seaman and fireman on the Jacob Ruppert

Antarctica, the South Pole, I doubt that any other two names have such an extreme appeal on most humans within geographical exploration and adventure. The race to reach the South Pole is continuously re-examined and re-written. But there´s so many other stories, which are kind of fallen into the darkness, which are at least as interesting, adventurous and thrilling. We have been thrilled by Long Rider President CuChullaine mexico travel warnings O´Reilly´s new evidence of meat eating horses and their time on the continent. And now, Glenn M. Stein will tell us another intriguing story, in three parts! This is the 2nd part.
This morning, just 62 years ago, Byrd and his Ice Party members, including Yours Truly, sailed up the Bay to the D.C. Navy Yard. . .  So wrote Dr. Alton A. Lindsey to the author on May 10, 1997 – he had turned 90 only three days before.  In the early years of the Great Depression, he was at Cornell University studying for his doctorate in biology, when he interrupted this pursuit to serve as the vertebrate zoologist on the Byrd Antarctic Expedition II, 1933-1935.  While the interior of the continent was canvassed by dog sled, tractor and airplane, Lindsey studied penguins, seals and other animals on the coast.
After the successful expedition, the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal, 1933-1935, was established by Act of Congress on June 2, 1936.  Struck in sterling silver (oxidized, relieved and satin finish), 57 medals were issued, each having the recipient s name impressed in sans serif capitals on the edge (I previously believed mexico travel warnings the naming to be engraved).  This figure represents 56 men in the Ice Party who spent the winter night (six months) at Little America plus one to Lieutenant (JG) Robert A. J. English, U.S.N., Master of the Bear of Oakland.  The medal to Admiral Byrd was issued in a named case, and this may have been a standard practice.
Hanging from a white ribbon, representing mexico travel warnings the snow and ice of Antarctica, the obverse depicts Admiral mexico travel warnings Byrd standing on ice in polar clothing; he is holding a ski pole in his left hand and a sled dog is seated on his right.  In the background mexico travel warnings there are large ice formations.  The dates 1933/1935 are to the right on the ice.  The whole is encircled by BYRD ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.
The reverse features a central rectangular tablet with the wording: PRESENTED TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE SECOND BYRD ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION TO EXPRESS THE VERY HIGH ADMIRATION IN WHICH THE CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HOLD THEIR HEROIC AND UNDAUNTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS mexico travel warnings FOR SCIENCE UNEQUALLED mexico travel warnings IN THE HISTORY mexico travel warnings OF POLAR EXPLORATION.
The images surrounding the tablet evidently have not been fully described in literature before mexico travel warnings now .  To the left are two radio towers of Little America, to the right is the Bear of Oakland under full sail, and above what has been described as a Ford Tri-Motor airplane (without any landing skis); if true, this is the Floyd Bennett, salvaged mexico travel warnings from Byrd s first expedition.  Finally, below the tablet mexico travel warnings is a team of four dogs pulling a man on a sled, with ice formations in the background.
When the enclosed 1937 photo was taken by a Navy photographer (otherwise now unknown), the C[ongressional] medal had been pinned upon Wm. Haines, Byrd Antarctic Expedition II meteorologist, in the private office of Navy Dept. Secretary Claude Swanson, a famed statesman mexico travel warnings of that time (seated, because too feeble to stand).  [Swanson wrote the 9 1/2-page introduction to Byrd's Discovery:  The Story of The Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition]  He is only pretending to pin the medal on his friend Byrd (left, with famous mexico travel warnings Admiral Leahy behind mexico travel warnings his head), and even that was an ordeal.  Everyone looks so grim unhappy because we, especially Byrd his great friend, were affected by Swanson s condition. mexico travel warnings I am the only young man shown in this photo. . .
The expedition ended with President F.D. Roosevelt meeting The Bear May 10, 1935 on arrival, waiting mexico travel warnings on the dock at Washington Navy Yard.  I did, still do, appreciate that handshake conversation more than the Congressional medal.  There were 56 men on the Ice Party, and the scientific staff of 10, the flyers, a few military officers (perhaps a third of the personnel of 56, received the medal by mail, late in 1937).  Haines I were living there in D.C.
In fact, the expedition formally ended six days later when the two main expedition vessels, the Bear of Oakland and Jacob Ruppert, sailed into Boston, where the participants were received at an official welcome home to Boston ceremony, hosted by the mayor.
Just off the northwest tip of Canisteo mexico travel warnings Peninsula in the Amundsen Sea, the twelve Lindsey Islands are features on the map today (73º37 S, 103º18 W). Dr. Lindsey wrote that the archipelago was personally discovered by Byrd in 1940, and the U.S. Board on Geographical Names (B.G.N.) website states the islands were delineated from air photos taken during the US Navy s Operation Highjump in December 1946.  The B.G.N. named the group in January 1960.
Dr. Lindsey passed from the scene in the final days of December 1999, at the age of 92; he was believed to be the last living scientist from the Byrd Antarctic expeditions.  I was tremendously grateful we shared those letters two years before, but had no inkling our exchanges would eventually lead to aid in keeping alive memories of Dr. Lindsey and the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition.
mexico travel warnings Beyond the 1937 photograph, I had never seen a picture of Dr. Lindsey s congressional medal, and over the years that followed, my curiosity finally prodded me into contacting the Lindsey family.  During January 2009, I telephoned Louise W. Lindsey, the explorer s daughter, and explained my association with her father.  She was extremely gracious and warm, and not only offered to take photographs of the medal, but also put me in touch with her mother, Elizabeth (who had just entered her 90th year).
In the early days of February, I heard Elizabeth s gentle and confident voice for the first time; like Louise, she was eager to help with my research and learn more about the medal s meaning.  Soon images of the medal arrived by email, and initially I winced:  a naked silver disc filled the computer screen.  The two top rings, ribbon, and brooch pin had all gone astray.  Upon asking Elizabeth if she knew the whereabouts of these pieces, she vaguely recalled seeing them at some point in time, but doubted they could now be pinpointed.  On a positive note, some of the images clearly showed the edge naming, A . A . LINDSEY.
Elizabeth s explanation as to how the meda l was passed onto her speaks of Alton Lindsey s character.  As his 90th birthday approached, his family wanted the celebration to be an extra special one, but Dr. Lindsey would not allow any presents, instead he turned the tables.  He prepared several small gift boxes for some of his relatives, with treasures from his long life of expeditions and travels.  My little box contained his Byrd Antarctic Expedition II Congressional Medal, explained Elizabeth.
Before long, my brain cells were set apace, and I put forth an earnest suggestion to Elizabeth mexico travel warnings and Louise:  restore the medal.  I offered to hunt up a length of ribbon and pin brooch, and their local jeweler could attach the silver rings.  My idea surprised and delighted them, and so I bounded one step further:  What about having a portrait photograph taken, with Elizabeth wearing the medal in honor of her husband?  This idea was received with equal good cheer.
My attention now turned to the task of acquiring a ribbon and pin brooch; neither of which were readily available items.  As it happened, the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal was issued with a somewhat wider ribbon than what is standard for United States medals, and consequently was fitted onto a wider pin brooch as well.  A viable substitute for the first came in the form of a length of British Arctic Medal 1818-1855 ribbon, while the latter was satisfied by a pin brooch mexico travel warnings from a United States World War I Victory Medal.  Not perfect matches, but very close to the originals.
In late February, I dispatched the parts to Elizabeth, along with instructions for the repair.  Within mexico travel warnings two weeks, the jeweler carried out the work in a most satisfactory manner, and Elizabeth handily sewed the ribbon onto the pin brooch. mexico travel warnings On March 17, Elizabeth and Louise sat for their portrait, the medal hanging from its snow white band stood out boldly out against Elizabeth s red lapel; Dr. Lindsey s congressional medal had been resurrected!
On a typically brilliant Florida afternoon in January 2009, the author strolled into the inviting surroundings of Robert L. Colombo s home, clasping his hand for the first time.  Having corresponded with Robert in October 1994 about his uncle, Louis Patrick Colombo, Robert mexico travel warnings and his sons graciously opened a window into their past.
As a merchant seaman in the early 1930s, Louis Colombo was a seaman mexico travel warnings and fireman on the Jacob Ruppert on her two voyages to Antarctica during 1933-1935, and also acted as an assistant mechanic mexico travel warnings to the Ice Party (but did not winter over).  In January 1934, while helping to offload supplies from the Jacob Ruppert, Colombo suffered a painful case of snowblindness; a sharp reminder of the nature mexico travel warnings of the beast.
Without being attached to the Ice Party, Colombo was not entitled to the medal for Byrd s second expedition, but he must have felt otherwise, as a 1948 watercolor portrait in his Army uniform shows him wearing the 1933-1935 ribbon bar after that of the 1939-1941 medal.  However, mexico travel warnings a portrait photograph in uniform of the same period features only the latter ribbon, and thus hints of an official correction .  Today, the two Antarctic mexico travel warnings ribbons bars are mounted together, and grace the top of a homemade polar wall hanging mexico travel warnings several feet long.
In 1939 Congress established the U.S. Antarctic Service (U.S.A.S.), and an expedition under Byrd was sent south to consolidate previous mexico travel warnings American exploration and to examine more closely the land in the Pacific sector.   East