branch death_date death_place birth_place allegiance awards birth_date image article_title name
navy august 22 , 1992 plano , texas bellingham , washington united states of america legion of merit , silver star december 5 , 1908 350px gerald ketchum
 gerald l. ketchum
gerald ketchum

commander gerald l. ketchum -lrb- 5 december 1908 -- 22 august 1992 -rrb- of the united states navy commanded the icebreaker `` uss burton island -lrb- ag-88 -rrb- '' in task group 68.2 during operation highjump , the united states navy antarctic developments program 1946 -- 1947 ; also known as the fourth byrd anatarctic expedition .
he was also commander of `` task force 39 '' consisting of 500 men for operation windmill , an antarctic expedition in 1947 -- 1948 .
he was born in bellingham , washington and died in plano , texas .
ketchum ridge in antarctica is named after him .
