Following The Trail with Cletrac
Admiral Byrd’s Expedition to Little America 1933 -1935
By Landis Zimmerman Oliver-Cletrac

Richard E. Byrd, better known as Admiral Byrd, made his first expedition to Antarctica (South Pole) in 1928. This first expedition lasted from 1928 to 1930. During this time, Byrd made the first successful flight over the South Pole on November 29, 1929 in a Ford Tri-motor plane named the Floyd Bennett.
While this expedition was very successful, all supplies were moved by dog sled, a very laborious and time-consuming task.
A second Byrd Antarctic expedition took place from 1933 to 1935. Many firsts would take place on this expedition that included, tractor transportation of supplies, motor driven generating plants, and radio broadcasts to the outside world to name a few.
The initial plan called to depart in the fall of 1932, however, necessary funding and supplies required them to wait until the following year. Amazingly, $150,000 in cash was contributed during the depth of the Great Depression. Much of this cash was contributed by thousands of donors in smaller amounts. However, the major donors were, Edsel Ford, William Horlick, Thomas Watson, Col. Jacob Ruppert, and The National Geographic Society. Additional funds were realized from the sale of newspaper rights, photographic privileges, and advertising sold for the weekly radio broadcasts from Little America. Industrial and commercial firms donated all of the fuel oil and gasoline. (This was before the days of $3.00 gasoline!) Nearly $100,000 worth of scientific instruments were lent by government agencies and universities.
Byrd’s flagship, the Jacob Ruppert was leased from the US Shipping Board for one dollar per year. This was an 8,257-ton steel cargo vessel. His second ship, the Bear of Oakland was