What role did Richard E. Byrd have in Operation Deep Freeze?

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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.

In 1955, Richard E. Byrd was appointed officer in charge of United States Antarctic programs, making him the senior authority for government matters regarding the continent. In this capacity, he helped supervise Operation Deep Freeze, a significant scientific and exploratory mission conducted under U.S. Navy auspices as part of the International Geophysical Year (1957–58).1

Byrd accompanied the expedition aboard the icebreaker Glacier and conducted his final exploratory flight over the South Pole on January 8, 1956. Along with Operation High Jump, Operation Deep Freeze served as a milestone in the history of sustained, permanent scientific research in Antarctica.1