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How did Operation Highjump use ships and aircraft to explore Antarctica?

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Richard E. Byrd stands on a ship deck in heavy fur clothing and a leather cap, holding a sundial compass during an Antarctic expedition. — Richard E. Byrd Richard E. Byrd.

Operation Highjump, led by Richard E. Byrd, was the most massive sea and air operation attempted in Antarctica at the time, taking place during the 1946–47 season. The expedition utilized a fleet of 13 ships, which included two seaplane tenders and an aircraft carrier, to support a total of 25 airplanes.12

The operation relied on a combination of ship-based and land-based aircraft to conduct extensive aerial photography and reconnaissance. These efforts successfully mapped and photographed approximately 537,000 square miles (1,390,000 square km) of the Antarctic coastline and interior, covering about 60 percent of the continent's coast, nearly one-fourth of which had never been seen before. Byrd himself flew into the base at Little America from the deck of the aircraft carrier Philippine Sea and conducted multiple flights, including a second flight over the South Pole.12