100-557: The Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal was established by Act of Congress in 1936 to commemorate the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition . Established by an act of congress on 2 June 1936, the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal was awarded to expedition members who spent six months, the entire winter night, at Little America . Commanders of the expeditions ships, who commanded throughout
200-529: A National Historic Landmark on December 19, 1962. Wealthy Boston families continue to live at the Flat of the Hill and south slope. Inhabitants of the north slope include Suffolk University students and professionals. The Boston African American National Historic Site is located just north of Boston Common . The historic buildings along today's Black Heritage Trail were the homes, businesses, schools and churches of
300-682: A navigator and expedition leader crossed the Atlantic Ocean, a segment of the Arctic Ocean, and a segment of the Antarctic Plateau . He is also known for discovering Mount Sidley , the largest dormant volcano in Antarctica. Byrd claimed to be the first to reach both the North and South Poles by air. However, there is some controversy as to whether or not Byrd was actually the first person to reach
400-574: A 172-foot spire. The Park Street Church , nicknamed "Brimstone Corner" in the 19th century, was used to store gunpowder during the War of 1812 . Samuel Francis Smith first sang his song America the Beautiful at this church in 1831. Two years earlier William Lloyd Garrison spoke to the congregation about abolishing slavery. One of the few outposts of the small Protestant group the Swedenborgian Church
500-707: A dominant figure in the Virginia Democratic Party from the 1920s until the 1960s; their father served as Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates for a time. On January 20, 1915, Richard married Marie Ames Byrd (d. 1974). He would later name a region of Antarctic land he discovered " Marie Byrd Land " after her, and a mountain range, the Ames Range , after her father. They had four children – Richard Evelyn Byrd III , Evelyn Bolling Byrd Clarke, Katharine Agnes Byrd Breyer, and Helen Byrd Stabler. By late 1924,
600-462: A historic district, and have expanded to include such initiatives as: working to become the first neighborhood to receive resident parking permits, streamlining trash service, and creating a virtual retirement community serving the neighborhood's elderly. The Club of Odd Volumes , a historic organization on Mount Vernon Street, serves as a Bibliophiles club, library, and archive. The Headquarters House , also known as William Hickling Prescott House,
700-662: A letter from Nuku Hiva (the largest of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia ) to Chambers, the ship's commanding officer, commending him and his crew "for the courage and efficiency" displayed following the explosion that made Byrd "feel proud to be an American. Great heroism was displayed, especially by the men who lost their lives rescuing the wounded." Byrd completed the Special Mission in December and participated in
800-572: A parade in New York City, and Congress passed a special act on December 21, 1926, promoting him to the rank of commander and awarding both Floyd Bennett and him the Medal of Honor . The Josephine Ford was flown around the country in celebration. Bennett was promoted to the warrant officer rank of machinist. Byrd and Bennett were presented with Tiffany Cross versions of the Medal of Honor on March 5, 1927, at
900-723: A pet dog, Igloo, who accompanied Byrd to the North and South poles and who is buried at the Pine Ridge Pet Cemetery with a tombstone that reads "He was more than a friend." Byrd attended the Virginia Military Institute for two years and transferred to the University of Virginia , before financial circumstances inspired his starting over and taking an appointment to the United States Naval Academy , where he
1000-455: A privately financed expedition, where he headed the inaugural aircraft crew that successfully flew over the South Pole. Byrd strongly advocated for ski-equipped aircraft, despite the considerable operational, logistical, and maintenance challenges they posed, necessitating the establishment of significant onshore bases to address these issues. As a result of his achievement, Byrd was promoted to
1100-736: A sailor who had fallen overboard. In April 1914, he transferred to the armored cruiser USS Washington and served in Mexican waters in June following the American intervention in April. His next assignment was to the gunboat USS Dolphin , which also served as the yacht of the Secretary of the Navy. This assignment brought Byrd into contact with high-ranking officials and dignitaries, including then Assistant Secretary of
SECTION 10
#17328516013751200-617: A time as Honorary National President (1931–1935) of Pi Gamma Mu , the international honor society in the social sciences. He carried the society's flag during his first Antarctic expedition to dramatize the spirit of adventure into the unknown, characterizing both the natural and social sciences. To finance and gain both political and public support for his expeditions, Byrd actively cultivated relationships with many powerful individuals, including President Franklin Roosevelt, Henry Ford, Edsel Ford, John D. Rockefeller Jr. , and Vincent Astor . As
1300-559: A token of his gratitude, Byrd named geographic features in the Antarctic after his supporters. On his second expedition during the summer of 1933–1934, (it was winter in the US, above the equator) Byrd spent five months alone operating a meteorological station, Advance Base, from which he narrowly escaped with his life after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning from a poorly ventilated stove. Unusual radio transmissions from Byrd finally began to alarm
1400-600: Is "the most prestigious address" in Beacon Hill. Its residents have access to private parking and live in "magnificent Greek Revival townhouses." Nearby is Acorn Street, often mentioned as the "most frequently photographed street in the United States." It is a narrow lane paved with cobblestones that was home to coachmen employed by families in Mt. Vernon and Chestnut Street mansions. The Harrison Gray Otis House on Cambridge Street
1500-761: Is a museum run by the Society of Colonial Dames . The country's oldest legal organization, the Boston Bar Association , is on Beacon Street. Beacon Hill Village was the first formal Elder Village in the United States. Religious organizations include the Vilna Shul , an Orthodox Jewish synagogue, and the Unitarian Universalist Association headquarters. Church of the Advent is a Victorian Gothic Church, faced in brick with 8 massive carillon bells and
1600-444: Is as follows: 86.8% of the population is white, 2% black or African American, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 5.3% Asian, 0.4% some other race/ethnicity, and 1.3% two or more races/ethnicities. According to 2007–2011 American Community Survey estimates, of the 5,411 households in Beacon Hill, 27.3% were family households and 72.7 were non-family households (with 55.7% of those female householders). Of
1700-459: Is numbered 753 in the Scott's Catalog. The U.S. Post Office contracted with the expedition for this purpose as it had no other means to deliver mail to and from the Antarctic. Approximately 150,000 pieces of such mail went through the special Antarctic post office in 1933 to 1934. As only members of the post office were authorized to postmark and handle mail, Charles F. Anderson, a special representative of
1800-616: Is on Bowdoin Street, and was embroiled in controversy in 2013 over alleged extortion by a former mafioso. While home to a Paulist chapel, Beacon Hill is currently one of only two neighborhoods in Boston that does not contain a Catholic parish church . Beacon Hill is predominantly residential, known for old colonial brick row houses with "beautiful doors, decorative iron work, brick sidewalks, narrow streets, and gas lamps". Restaurants and antique shops are located on Charles Street. Louisburg Square
1900-430: Is used locally as a metonym to refer to the state government or the legislature itself, much like Washington, D.C.'s Capitol Hill does at the federal level. Federal-style rowhouses , narrow gaslit streets and brick sidewalks run through the neighborhood, which is generally regarded as one of the more desirable and expensive in Boston. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood
2000-525: The 54th Massachusetts Regiment Memorial are located at Beacon Street and Park Street, opposite the Massachusetts State House. The Massachusetts State House , located on Beacon Street, is the home of the Commonwealth's government. The gold-domed state capitol building was designed by Charles Bulfinch and was completed in 1798. Many of the country's state capitol buildings were modeled after
2100-699: The African Meeting House in 1806 and by 1840 there were five black churches. The African Meeting House on Joy Street was a community center for members of the black elite . Frederick Douglass spoke there about abolition, and William Lloyd Garrison formed the New England Anti-Slavery Society at the Meeting House. It became a "hotbed and an important depot on the Underground Railroad ." Blacks and whites were largely united on
SECTION 20
#17328516013752200-586: The Legion of Merit . In 1946, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal appointed Byrd as officer in charge of Antarctic Developments Project. Byrd's fourth Antarctic expedition was code-named Operation Highjump . It was the largest Antarctic expedition to date and was expected to last 6–8 months. The expedition was supported by a large naval force (designated Task Force 68), commanded by Rear Admiral Richard H. Cruzen . Thirteen US Navy support ships (besides
2300-904: The Nichols House Museum . The Nichols House "offers a rare glimpse inside [the] Brahmin life" of Rose Standish Nichols , a landscape artists. Suffolk University and its Law School are adjacent to the Massachusetts State House and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court . The Suffolk University Law School was founded in 1906. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) subway stations in Beacon Hill are: MBTA bus , MBTA commuter rail , and ferry services are also available. Beacon Hill has been home to many notable persons, including: Highstyle Federal brick townhouses, two and three stories tall with elliptical porticoes, pilasters and balustrades,
2400-696: The United States Strategic Bombing Survey (USSBS) in 1944 to 1945. On February 10, 1945, Byrd received the Order of Christopher Columbus from the government of the Dominican Republic . Byrd was present at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. He was released from active duty on October 1, 1945. In recognition of his service during World War II, Byrd received two awards of
2500-506: The Virginia (Byrd's birth state). A base camp named " Little America " was constructed on the Ross Ice Shelf , and scientific expeditions by snowshoe , dog sled , snowmobile , and airplane began. To increase the interest of youth in arctic exploration, a 19-year-old American Boy Scout , Paul Allman Siple , was chosen to accompany the expedition. Siple went on to earn a doctorate and
2600-562: The White House by President Calvin Coolidge . Since 1926, doubts have been raised, defenses made, and heated controversy arose over whether or not Byrd actually reached the North Pole. In 1958, Norwegian-American aviator and explorer Bernt Balchen cast doubt on Byrd's statement on the basis of his knowledge of the airplane's speed. Balchen said that Bennett had confessed to him months after
2700-522: The "Flat of the Hill", with a resulting transformation of the neighborhood. Red-light districts operated near Beacon Hill in Scollay Square and the West End until a 1950s urban renewal project renovated the area. To prevent urban renewal projects of historically significant buildings in Beacon Hill, its residents ensured that the community obtained historic district status: south slope in 1955, Flat of
2800-407: The 1,479 family households 81.6% were married couple families. 36.6% of married couple families were with related children under the age of 18 and 63.4% were with no related children under age 18. Other family types make up 18.4% of Beacon Hill's population, with 90.8% being female householders with no husband present and a majority of these households included children under 18 present. According to
2900-492: The 1870s, to Back Bay with its "French-inspired boulevards and mansard-roofed houses that were larger, lighter, and airier than the denser Beacon Hill." In the early 19th century, there were "fringe activities" along the Back Bay waterfront, with ropewalks along Beacon and Charles Streets. The south slope "became the seat of Boston wealth and power." It was carefully planned for people who left densely populated areas, like
3000-480: The 19th century. "Great thinkers" lived in the neighborhood, including Daniel Webster , Henry Thoreau and Wendell Phillips . Development began in the early 19th century. Single family homes often had stores on the first floor for retailers, carpenters and shoemakers. Today, many of the 19th century waterfront landmarks, such as the Charles Street Meeting House , are found far from the water due to
3100-572: The 2012–2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, the largest ancestry groups in ZIP Codes 02108 and 02114 are: The first European settler was William Blaxton , also spelled Blackstone. In 1625 he built a house and orchard on Beacon Hill's south slope, roughly at the location of Beacon and Spruce street. The settlement was a "preformal arrangement". In 1630 Boston was settled by the Massachusetts Bay Company . The southwestern slope
Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal - Misplaced Pages Continue
3200-466: The Atlantic Ocean. Byrd was one of several aviators who attempted to win the Orteig Prize in 1927 for making the first nonstop flight between the United States and France. Once again, Byrd named Floyd Bennett as his chief pilot, with Norwegian Bernt Balchen, Bert Acosta , and Lieutenant George Noville as other crewmembers. During a practice takeoff with Anthony Fokker at the controls and Bennett in
3300-598: The Atlantic nonstop, another 20 years were needed before it would be realized on a commercial scale. In 1928, Byrd began his first expedition to the Antarctic involving two ships and three airplanes: Byrd's flagship was the City of New York (a Norwegian sealing ship previously named Samson that had come into fame as a ship some said was in the vicinity of the Titanic when the latter
3400-608: The Atlantic nonstop, naming Balchen to replace Bennett, who had not yet fully recovered from his injuries, as chief pilot. Byrd, Balchen, Acosta, and Noville flew from Roosevelt Field, East Garden City, New York , in the America on June 29, 1927. On board was mail from the US Postal Service to demonstrate the practicality of aircraft. Arriving over France the next day, they were prevented from landing in Paris by cloud cover; they returned to
3500-506: The British designation of R-38 ). As fate would have it, Byrd missed his train to take him to the airship on August 24, 1921. The airship broke apart in midair, killing 44 of 49 crew members on board. Byrd lost several friends in the accident, and was involved in the subsequent recovery operations and investigation. The accident affected him deeply and inspired him to make safety a top priority in all of his future expeditions. Due to reductions in
3600-524: The Byrd family moved into a large brownstone house at 9 Brimmer Street in Boston's fashionable Beacon Hill neighborhood that had been purchased by Marie's father, a wealthy industrialist. Byrd was friends with Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford , whose admiration of his polar exploits helped to gain Byrd sponsorship and financing for his various polar expeditions from the Ford Motor Company. He had
3700-615: The Chief of Naval Operations. The expedition continued in Antarctica without him until the last of its participants left Antarctica on March 22, 1941. As a senior officer in the United States Navy, Byrd was recalled on active duty on March 26, 1942, and served as the confidential advisor to Admiral Ernest J. King . From 1942 to 1945 he served on the South Pacific Island Base Inspection Board, which toured bases in
3800-420: The Hill in 1958, and north slope in 1963. The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission was established in 1955 to monitor renovation and development projects. For instance, in 1963, 70-72 Mount Vernon Street was to be demolished for the construction of an apartment building. A compromise was made to maintain the building and its exterior and build new apartments inside. In 1955, state legislation Chapter 616 created
3900-423: The Hill, property records indicate that the black community on the north slope was already well-established by 1805, before the filling-in of the south slope was completed, and so before that slope of Beacon Hill came to be considered an affluent area. Many blacks in the neighborhood attended church with the whites but did not have a vote in church affairs and sat in segregated seating. A Baptist congregation, built
4000-609: The Historic Beacon Hill District. It was the first such district in Massachusetts, created to protect historic sites and manage urban renewal. Supporting these objectives is the local non-profit Beacon Hill Civic Association. According to the Massachusetts Historical Commission , the historic districts "appear to have stabilized architectural fabric" of Beacon Hill. Beacon Hill was designated
4100-515: The Navy Franklin Roosevelt . He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant (junior grade) on June 8, 1915. During Byrd's assignment to Dolphin , he was commanded by future Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy , who served as chief of staff to President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II . Byrd's last assignment before forced retirement was to the presidential yacht USS Mayflower . On March 15, 1916, Byrd, much to his frustration,
Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal - Misplaced Pages Continue
4200-612: The Navy after the First World War, Byrd reverted to the rank of lieutenant at the end of 1921. During the summer of 1923, then-Lieutenant Byrd and a group of volunteer Navy veterans of the First World War helped found the Naval Reserve Air Station (NRAS) at Squantum Point near Boston, using an unused First World War seaplane hangar which had remained more-or-less intact after the Victory Destroyer Plant shipyard
4300-580: The North End. The residents of opulent homes, called the Boston Brahmins , were described by Oliver Wendell Holmes as a "harmless, inoffensive, untitled aristocracy". They had "houses by Charles Bulfinch , their monopoly on Beacon Street, their ancestral portraits and Chinese porcelains, humanitarianism, Unitarian faith in the march of the mind, Yankee shrewdness, and New England exclusiveness." Literary salons and publishing houses were founded in
4400-610: The North Pole. It is generally believed that the distance Byrd claimed to fly was longer than the possible fuel range of his airplane. He was a recipient of the Medal of Honor , the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration, and the Navy Cross , the second highest honor for valor given by the U.S. Navy. Byrd was born in Winchester, Virginia , the son of Esther Bolling (Flood) and Richard Evelyn Byrd Sr. He
4500-403: The Postmaster General, was assigned to the post office at Little America in Antarctica. In late 1938, Byrd visited Hamburg, and was invited to participate in the 1938/1939 German " Neuschwabenland " Antarctic Expedition, but declined. (Although Germany was not at war with the United States at this time, Adolf Hitler had been serving as Führer of the German Reich since 1934, and i nvaded Poland
4600-494: The Secretary of the Navy, the Commander-in-Chief United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations ordered Byrd to assume direction of a survey and "investigation of certain islands in the East and South Pacific in connection with national defense and commercial air bases and routes." The members of the Special Navy Mission sailed from Balboa, Canal Zone, on USS Concord , Captain Irving Reynold Chambers, commanding, in September 1943. A large explosion at sea on October 7, 1943, took
4700-413: The South Pacific in May and June 1942. The report submitted by the Board describes conditions found at each base and analyses, lessons learned in planning and equipping these bases. The report contains recommendations applicable to the individual bases and others designed to be helpful in the planning of future advanced bases. On 1 September 1943, in compliance with a series of letters from the President to
4800-507: The State House. The Beacon Hill Civic Association has a long history as a community resource for the Beacon Hill neighborhood. Founded in 1922 by neighbors with the goal of preventing home building and other construction, today it continues as a volunteer advocacy organization focused on improving quality of life in the neighborhood. It was first founded to fight city plans to replace the neighborhood's brick sidewalks. Since then its efforts have been instrumental in preserving Beacon Hill as
4900-454: The area originally had three hills, Beacon Hill and two others nearby, Pemberton Hill and Mount Vernon, which were leveled for Beacon Hill's development. The name trimount later morphed into "Tremont", as in Tremont Street. Between 1807 and 1832, Beacon Hill was reduced from 138 feet in elevation to 80 feet. The shoreline and bodies of water such as the Mill Pond had a "massive filling", increasing Boston's land mass by 150%. Charles Street
5000-444: The aviation element during the expedition led to Byrd's renown as a pioneer of aircraft in exploration. During this expedition, Byrd made the acquaintance of Navy Chief Aviation Pilot Floyd Bennett and Norwegian pilot Bernt Balchen , both of whom would later contribute to Byrd's expeditions. Bennett served as a pilot in his flight to the North Pole the next year. Balchen, whose knowledge of Arctic flight operations proved invaluable,
5100-452: The black community. Charles Street Meeting House was built in 1807, the church had seating that segregated white and black people. The Museum of African American History , New England's largest museum dedicated to African American history, is located at the African Meeting House , adjacent to the Abiel Smith School . The meeting house is the oldest surviving Black church built by African Americans. The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial and
SECTION 50
#17328516013755200-420: The city's neighborhoods could no longer meet the needs of the growing number of residents. Eighteen and a half or 19 acres of grassland west of the State House was purchased in 1795, most of it from John Singleton Copley. The Beacon Hill district's development began when Charles Bulfinch, an architect and planner, laid out the plan for the neighborhood. Four years later the hills were leveled, Mount Vernon Street
5300-484: The co-pilot seat, the Fokker Trimotor airplane, America , crashed, severely injuring Bennett and slightly injuring Byrd. As the plane was being repaired, Charles Lindbergh won the prize by completing his historic flight on May 21, 1927. (Coincidentally, in 1925, then Army Air Service Reserve Corps Lieutenant Charles Lindbergh had applied to serve as a pilot on Byrd's North Pole expedition, but apparently, his bid came too late.) Byrd continued with his quest to cross
5400-428: The coast of Normandy and crash-landed near the beach at Ver-sur-Mer (known as Gold Beach during the Normandy Invasion on June 6, 1944) without fatalities on July 1, 1927. In France, Byrd and his crew were received as heroes and Byrd was invested as an Officer of the French Legion of Honor by Prime Minister Raymond Poincare on July 6. After their return to the United States, an elaborate dinner in their honor
5500-401: The efficiency of the militia. Shortly after the entry of the United States into the First World War in April 1917, Byrd oversaw the mobilization of the Rhode Island Naval Militia. He was then recalled to active duty and was assigned to the Office of Naval Operations and served in a desk job as secretary and organizer of the Navy Department Commission on Training Camps. In the autumn of 1917, he
5600-432: The expedition from 1933 through 1935, were also eligible. These criteria limited the award of the medals to 50 recipients. The medal is a circular a silver medallion 1 1/4 inches in diameter. The obverse depicts the figure of Admiral Byrd , in polar clothing with a sled dog standing to the left. To the right of the figure, in two lines, are the dates 1933 1935 . The inscription BYRD ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION arcs around
5700-401: The expedition. The flight left from Spitsbergen (Svalbard) and returned to its takeoff airfield, lasting 15 hours and 57 minutes, including 13 minutes spent circling at their Farthest North . Byrd and Bennett said they reached the North Pole, a distance of 1,535 miles (1,335 nautical miles ). When he returned to the United States from the Arctic, Byrd became a national hero. He was thrown
5800-407: The filling that has taken place since then. The north slope was the home of African Americans, sailors and Eastern and Southern European immigrants. The area around Belknap Street (now Joy Street) in particular became home to more than 1,000 blacks beginning in the mid-1700s. While this community is often described as arising from domestic workers in the homes of white residents on the south slope of
5900-429: The first floor and a low ceiling on the top, fourth floor. Residential homes were also converted to boarding houses. The north slope neighborhood transitioned as blacks moved out of the neighborhood and immigrants, such as Eastern European Jews, made their homes in the community. The Vilna Shul was established in 1898, and the African Meeting House was converted into a synagogue . Better transportation service to
6000-441: The flagship USS Mount Olympus and the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea ), six helicopters, six flying boats, two seaplane tenders, and 15 other aircraft were used. The total number of personnel involved was over 4,000. Beacon Hill, Boston Beacon Hill is a historic neighborhood in Boston , Massachusetts , United States. It is also the location of the Massachusetts State House . The term "Beacon Hill"
6100-437: The flight of the airship Norge that flew from Spitsbergen (Svalbard) to Alaska nonstop with a crew including Roald Amundsen , Umberto Nobile , Oscar Wisting , and Lincoln Ellsworth . In 1927, Byrd announced he had the backing of the American Trans-Oceanic Company , which had been established in 1914 by department-store magnate Rodman Wanamaker for the purpose of building aircraft to complete nonstop flights across
SECTION 60
#17328516013756200-452: The flight that Byrd and he had not reached the pole. Bennett, who had not completely healed from the early crash, developed pneumonia after participating in a flight to rescue downed German aviators in Greenly Island, Canada, leading to his death on April 25, 1928. Bennett, though, had started a memoir, given numerous interviews, and wrote an article for an aviation magazine about the flight before his death that all confirmed Byrd's version of
6300-427: The flight. The 1996 release of Byrd's diary of the May 9, 1926, flight revealed erased (but still legible) sextant sights that sharply differ from Byrd's later June 22 typewritten official report to the National Geographic Society. Byrd took a sextant reading of the Sun at 7:07:10 GCT. His erased diary record shows the apparent (observed) solar altitude to have been 19°25'30", while his later official typescript reports
6400-484: The funding needed to finance Byrd's expedition to the Antarctic. The expedition, via the Post Office, sold philatelic subscription Philatelic covers to be serviced at the official USPOD post office set up in the Antarctic exploration base , dubbed Little America , and which was officially established on October 6, 1933. All mail sent to the Antarctic required at least one Byrd II 3 cent stamp (pictured), along with sufficient postage amounting to 53 cents. The postage stamp
6500-413: The lives of 24 Concord crewmen, including the executive officer, Commander Rogers Elliott. Caused by ignition of gasoline fumes at the stern of the ship, the explosion threw some men overboard, while others were killed from concussion, burns, fractured skulls and broken necks. Several sailors died while trying to save their shipmates. The dead were buried at sea on October 8. On October 23, 1943, Byrd wrote
6600-412: The men at the base camp, who then attempted to go to Advance Base. The first two trips were failures due to darkness, snow, and mechanical troubles. Finally, Thomas Poulter , E. J. Demas , and Amory Waite arrived at Advance Base, where they found Byrd in poor physical health. The men remained at Advance Base until October 12. when an airplane from the base camp picked up Dr. Poulter and Byrd. The rest of
6700-466: The men returned to base camp with the tractor. This expedition is described by Byrd in his autobiography Alone . During the summer months the days were long and the evenings existed in twilight. Inside the exploration headquarters Byrd had fashioned a large calendar on the wall, where he would cross off each day as it passed. A CBS radio station, KFZ, was set up on the base camp ship, the Bear of Oakland and The Adventures of Admiral Byrd program
6800-408: The mission. Unfortunately for Byrd, his tour of duty in Newfoundland was considered overseas service. Byrd was, however, able to make a valuable contribution, as his expertise in aerial navigation resulted in his appointment to plan the flight path of the mission. Of the three flying boats (NC-1, NC-3, and NC-4) that started from Newfoundland, only Lieutenant Commander Albert Read 's NC-4 completed
6900-484: The most ambitious of them free standing and Bulfinch-designed, were built along the crest of Beacon Hill and on Cambridge Street. Other imposing brick rowhouses were constructed around the Common. Substantial but less pretentious middle-class housing, three story, brick sidehall Federal rowhouses with side and fanlit entrances, filled in the lower slopes of Beacon Hill and the South End along Washington Street while modest sidehall brick houses, three stories tall, were built in
7000-409: The next year .) Byrd's third expedition was the first one financed and conducted by the United States government. The project included extensive studies of geology, biology, meteorology, and exploration. The innovative Antarctic Snow Cruiser was brought with the expedition, but broke down shortly after arriving. Within a few months, in March 1940, Byrd was recalled to active duty in the Office of
7100-522: The rank of rear admiral by a special act of Congress on December 21, 1929. As he was only 41 years old at the time, this promotion made Byrd the youngest admiral in the history of the United States Navy. By way of comparison, none of his Annapolis classmates became admirals until 1942, after 30 years of commissioned service. He is one of only four persons including Admiral David Dixon Porter , Arctic explorer Rear Admiral Donald Baxter MacMillan and Rear Admiral Frederic R. Harris , to have been promoted to
7200-588: The rank of rear admiral in the United States Navy without having first held the rank of captain. After a further summer of exploration, the expedition returned to North America on June 18, 1930. Unlike the 1926 flight, this expedition was honored with the gold medal of the American Geographical Society . This was also seen in the film With Byrd at the South Pole (1930), which covered his trip there. Byrd, by then an internationally recognized, pioneering American polar explorer and aviator, served for
7300-400: The same 7:07:10 apparent solar altitude to have been 18°18'18". On the basis of this and other data in the diary, Dennis Rawlins concluded that Byrd steered accurately, and flew about 80% of the distance to the pole before turning back because of an engine oil leak, but later falsified his official report to support his statement of reaching the pole. Accepting that the conflicting data in
7400-438: The sextant data in the long-unavailable original official typewritten report are all expressed to 1 second, a precision not possible on Navy sextants of 1926 and not the precision of the sextant data in Byrd's diary for 1925 or the 1926 flight, which was normal (half or quarter of a minute of arc). If Byrd and Bennett did not reach the North Pole, then the first flight over the pole occurred a few days later, on May 12, 1926, with
7500-452: The subject of abolition . Beacon Hill was one of the staunchest centers of the anti-slavery movement in the Antebellum era . One of the earliest black Republican legislators in the United States was Julius Caesar Chappelle (1852–1904), who served as a legislator in Boston from 1883 to 1886 and whose district included the Beacon Hill area. Chappelle was a popular, well-liked politician and
7600-562: The suburbs and other cities led a boom to the city's economy at the beginning of the 20th century. New buildings, "compatible with the surroundings", were built and older buildings renovated. To ensure that there were controls on new development and demolition, the Beacon Hill Association was formed in 1922. Into the 1940s there were attempts to replace brick sidewalks, but the projects were abandoned due to community resistance. Banks, restaurants and other service industries moved into
7700-445: The tablet in relief with a dog sled, "Little America" buildings, and the sailing ship "City of New York" around the rectangle. The medal is suspended from a solid white silk ribbon. Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957), an American naval officer , was a pioneering American aviator, polar explorer, and organizer of polar logistics. Aircraft flights in which he served as
7800-399: The top of the medal. The reverse has a rectangle bearing the inscription, in 14 lines: PRESENTED TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE SECOND BYRD ANT- ARCTIC EXPEDITION TO EXPRESS THE VERY HIGH ADMIRATION IN WHICH THE CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HOLD THEIR HEROIC AND UNDAUNTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR SCIENCE UNEQUALLED IN THE HISTORY OF POLAR EXPLORATION . A Ford Tri-Motor airplane appears above
7900-510: The trip on May 18, 1919, achieving the first transatlantic flight. In 1921, Byrd volunteered to attempt a solo nonstop crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, prefiguring Charles Lindbergh 's historic flight by six years. Byrd's ambition was dashed by then acting Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt Jr. , who felt the risks outweighed the potential rewards. Byrd was then assigned to the ill-fated dirigible ZR-2 (formerly known by
8000-510: The typed report's flight times indeed require both northward and southward ground speeds greater than the flight's 85-mph airspeed , a Byrd defender posits a westerly-moving anticyclone that tailwind-boosted Byrd's ground speed on both outward and inward legs, allowing the distance said to be covered in the time stated (the theory is based on rejecting handwritten sextant data in favor of typewritten alleged dead-reckoning data ). This suggestion has been challenged by Dennis Rawlins, who adds that
8100-514: The war, he received a letter of commendation from Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels , which was after World War II converted to a Navy Commendation Medal . After the war, Byrd volunteered to be a crew member in the U.S. Navy's 1919 aerial transatlantic crossing. This mission was historic, as it was the first time the Atlantic Ocean was crossed by an aircraft. It was decided that only men who had not served overseas would be allowed on
8200-544: The west, just north of Boston Common and the Boston Public Garden . The block bound by Beacon , Tremont and Park Streets is included as well. Beacon Hill has three sections: the south slope, the north slope and the "Flat of the Hill", which is a level neighborhood built on landfill, located west of Charles Street and between Beacon and Cambridge streets. Located in the center of the Shawmut Peninsula ,
8300-492: Was 9,023. Like many similarly named areas, the neighborhood is named for the location of a former beacon atop the highest point in central Boston. The beacon was used to warn the residents of an invasion. Beacon Hill is bounded by Storrow Drive , and Cambridge, Bowdoin , Park and Beacon Streets . It is about 1/6 of a square mile in size, and situated along the riverfront of the Charles River Esplanade to
8400-496: Was a descendant of one of the First Families of Virginia . His ancestors include planter John Rolfe and his wife Pocahontas , William Byrd II of Westover Plantation , who established Richmond , as well as William Byrd I and Robert "King" Carter , a colonial governor. He was also descended from George Yeardley , Francis Wyatt and Samuel Argall . He was the brother of Virginia Governor and U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd ,
8500-523: Was appointed as a midshipman on May 28, 1908. On June 8, 1912, Byrd graduated from the Naval Academy and was commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy. On July 14, 1912, he was assigned to the battleship USS Wyoming . During service in the Caribbean Sea, Byrd received his first letter of commendation, and later a Silver Lifesaving Medal , for twice plunging fully clothed to the rescue of
8600-554: Was built in 1796. Charles Bulfinch designed this house, and two additional houses, for the businessman and politician who was instrumental in Beacon Hill's development and Boston becoming the state capital. The Otis House also houses the headquarters of Historic New England , previously known as Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities. Other notable houses are the Francis Parkman House and an 1804 townhouse, now
8700-484: Was built on the site. NRAS Squantum was commissioned on August 15, 1923, and is considered to have been the first air base in the Naval Reserve program. Byrd commanded the aviation unit of the arctic expedition to North Greenland led by Donald B. MacMillan from June to October 1925. Although the expedition was largely unsuccessful (they did not in fact reach the pole) Byrd's efforts and the successful contributions of
8800-643: Was covered by many of the black newspapers in the United States. Blacks migrated to Roxbury and Boston's South End after the Civil War . In the latter part of the 19th century, Beacon Hill absorbed an influx of Irish , Jewish and other immigrants. Many homes built of brick and wood in the early 19th century were dilapidated by the end of the Civil War and were razed for new housing. Brick apartment buildings, or tenements , were built. Yellow brick townhouses were constructed, generally with arched windows on
8900-665: Was established in 1708 from a cow path to the Boston Common . John Singleton Copley owned land on the south slope for pasture for his cows and farmland. In 1787 Charles Bulfinch designed the Massachusetts State House . Its construction was completed in 1795, replacing the Old State House in the center of Boston. The Mount Vernon Proprietors group was formed to develop the trimount area, The name trimount later morphed into "Tremont", as in Tremont Street. when by 1780
9000-759: Was held in New York City on July 19. Byrd and Noville were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by Secretary of the Navy Curtis D. Wilbur at the dinner. Acosta and Balchen did not receive the Distinguished Flying Cross because, at that time, it could only be awarded to members of the armed services and not to civilians. Byrd wrote an article for the August 1927 edition of Popular Science Monthly in which he accurately predicted that while specially modified aircraft with one to three crewmen would fly
9100-566: Was laid, and mansions were built along it. One of the first homes was the Harrison Gray Otis House on Cambridge Street. Construction of homes began in earnest at the turn of the century, such as: freestanding mansions , symmetrical pairs of houses, and row houses . Between 1803 and 1805, the first row houses were built for Stephen Higginson . In the 1830s, residential homes were built for wealthy people on Chestnut and Mt. Vernon Streets. Some affluent people moved, beginning in
9200-556: Was launched. Byrd, along with pilot Bernt Balchen , co-pilot/radioman Harold June , and photographer Ashley McKinley , flew the Floyd Bennett to the South Pole and back in 18 hours, 41 minutes. They had difficulty gaining enough altitude, and they had to dump empty gas tanks, as well as their emergency supplies, to achieve the altitude of the Polar Plateau, but they were ultimately successful. In November 1929, Byrd participated in
9300-543: Was medically retired on three-quarters pay for an ankle injury he suffered on board Mayflower . Shortly thereafter, on December 14, 1916, he was assigned as the inspector and instructor for the Rhode Island Naval Militia in Providence, Rhode Island . While serving in this position, he was commended by Brigadier General Charles W. Abbot , the adjutant general of Rhode Island, for making great strides in improving
9400-421: Was one of the new roads created from the project. Before the hill was reduced substantially, Beacon Hill was located just behind the current site of Massachusetts State House . According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood is 9,023. This reflects a slight (0.3% or 29 individuals) decrease from the 2000 Census. The racial/ethnic make-up of the neighborhood's population
9500-415: Was probably the only person, other than Byrd himself, to participate in all five of Byrd's Antarctic expeditions. Photographic expeditions and geological surveys were undertaken for the duration of that summer, and constant radio communications were maintained with the outside world. After their first winter, their expeditions were resumed, and on November 28, 1929, the first flight to the South Pole and back
9600-510: Was sent to naval aviation school at Pensacola, Florida . He qualified as a naval aviator (number 608) in June 1918. He then commanded naval air forces at Naval Air Station Halifax in Nova Scotia , Canada, from July 1918 until the armistice in November. In that assignment, he was promoted to the permanent rank of lieutenant and the temporary rank of lieutenant commander. For his services during
9700-488: Was short-waved to Buenos Aires, then relayed to New York. Sponsored by General Foods , the broadcasts aired on Saturday nights at 10:00 pm and reached #16 on the Hooper rating for the 1933-34 broadcast season, reaching an average audience of 19.1 million. Byrd's Antarctic expedition prompted President Roosevelt and the U.S. Postmaster General to honor the event in 1933 on a U.S. commemorative stamp which greatly helped raise
9800-591: Was sinking) and the Eleanor Bolling (named after Byrd's mother); a Ford Trimotor airplane called the Floyd Bennett (named after the recently deceased pilot of Byrd's previous expeditions) flown by Dean Smith ; a Fairchild FC-2W2 , NX8006, built 1928, named Stars And Stripes (now displayed at the National Air and Space Museum 's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center ); and a Fokker Super Universal monoplane called
9900-437: Was the primary pilot on Byrd's flight to the South Pole in 1929. On May 9, 1926, Byrd and Navy Chief Aviation Pilot Floyd Bennett attempted a flight over the North Pole in a Fokker F.VIIa/3m tri-motor monoplane named Josephine Ford after the daughter of Ford Motor Company president Edsel Ford , who helped finance the expedition. In addition to Ford contributions, John D. Rockefeller also notably provided funding for
10000-403: Was used by the city for military drills and livestock grazing. In 1634 a signal beacon was established on the top of the hill. Sailors and British soldiers visited the north slope of Beacon Hill during the 17th and 18th centuries. As a result, it became an "undesirable" area for Boston residents. " Fringe activities " occurred on "Mount Whoredom", the backslope of Beacon Hill. Beacon Street
#374625