Evening star., 1944-12-28
(Seco1,d OF Tvo Stories. }
BY w. H. SHIPPEN, Jr..
Aviation Editor OF The Star.


BY w. H. SHIPPEN, Jr.,
Aviation Editor OF The Star.
The United States Antarctic ex-
plorers left two clocks ticking be-
hind them when their time finally
ran out down in Palmer Land back
in March OF 1941, one to break the
endless polar stiffness with a man
made sound for 30 days or more
and the other to equalize the few
hours of life remaining to their
faithful sled dogs.
The last thing this final little
band of explorers saw Of East Base
after their overloaded old Condor
wrenched her skis free of glacier
ice and bounced into the gale was
the familiar, upturned muzzles Of
Eskimo huskies, Siberians and Male
mutes crouching obediently in the
snow. just as their masters had
ordered.
How the men parted with 81 dogs
which had shared and lightened
their hardships for 13 months on
the Ice and snow is part of story
revealed for the first time with
the arrival in Washington by q
roundabout route of some of the
scientific equipment and personal
gear left behind when the closing
ice pack forced an emergency es-
cape by air.
The next men to visit that DESC
late coast after the Condor droned
north over the horizon came two
years later, aboard an Argentine
gunboat which found a channel in
the ice pack in February of 1943,
during the middle of the Antarctic
summer, and put a landing party
ashore to investigate the abandoned
American base.
No word was received of the fate
OF the last three dog teams, per-
maps because ice and snow long
since had buried them, but the men
who set time bomb to insure their
destruction once the Condor man
aged to get away from the rough
ice are certain the end was as swift
ana humane as well-laid dyna-
mite charge could make it.
Choice Was Bitter.
1t was bitter choice, decided
upon by the men who loved and un.
oerstood the sled dogs best. Little
was said OF 1t later for fear the pub
lie might condemn the act witho,,
full knowledge OF the circum-
stances.
When the supply ships Bear and
North Star went South to evacuate
the expeditions land based person.
mel in the Antarctic summer OF
lS40-l they first removed men and
equipment from the West Base al
the Bay of Whales, and the Bear
then proceeded to Palmer Land, q
thousand miles south of of Cape
Horn. The little barkentine was
unable to find a way through a
grinding belt of pack ice almost l5C
miles wide. BY mid-March gales
were stiffening the girdle. As the
weeks slipped by the 26 men at Eas,
Base began to prepare for an emer.
gency getaway. They feared they
might have to remain another wear
or even another two years with the
unWelcome alternative of strikine
out on skis across the treacherou.
ice belt.
Pilots Ashley Snow and Earl Perce
both Of whom are now Navy flyers
began to groom their battered twin.
engined plane for its last and mos
hazardous mission. Valuable scien.
tlhc equipment and personal geal
was carefully packed, stored ane
labeled. Each man was to tax,
enough food and equipment for 1
i, month on the ice, should either o.
the two planned take-offs come te
grief.
Meanwhile, by radio instruction
the Bear crew 145 miles to the north
had prepared a precarious little
Landing stripe on an icy plateau
marked with smudge pots ready TO,
the torch. When the final day cam,
there remained the question of wha
to do with the dogs. The typica
sled dog. contrary to popular belief
Is a lovable animal when kindly
treated.
1t was decided to select the young
est and strongest dogs for thre,
teams in case the last take-off faile,
and left the final party stranded.
None Could Survive.
None of the dogs could surviv,
If freed. Penguins and seals wer,
seasonal visitors to that coast. an,
hunger eventually would drive tn,
dogs at each others throats with tn,
strongest animals left to starve
There was time only to risk tw,
flights.
All the men volunteered for tn,
last and most dangerous take-of. a
which time the sun would hav,
melted snow bridges across an i'm,
provised landing strip on the crevass
filled glacier. The first take-of will
IL men and pilots was successful
as was the landing on top of Mix
kelsen Island beyond the ice belt.
The Condor soon was radioing it!
progress on the return flight. Tim,
was running out. The men woune
30-day clock and set it tickin,
away. They then removed the fac,
from an alarm clock and twisted of
the minute hand. Meanwhile, three
5O-pound charges Of dynamite were
set IN 20-foot triangle under thu
snow and the three best dog team.
staked down in their work trace.
exactly over the charges. The houl
hand on the alarm clock was set tc
close an electric circuit to detonate
the dynamite three hours later