Interview of David Welch by Laura J. Kissel

• Main Author: Welch, David, 1918-
• Other Authors: Kissel, Laura J.
• Format: Audio
• Language: English
• Published: Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program 2008
• Subjects: Task Force 43; Antarctica > Discovery and exploration > Interviews; Welch; David; 1918- > Interviews; Antarctic; Barrett; Byrd; Byrd Station; Colbert; Elliot; New Zealand; South Pole; The Antarctic; Tonga; Yar; Antarc*; Antarctica; South pole
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1811/35209

1. Dr. Tom Jones-pp.2 2. David Elliot-pp.4-6 3. Dr, Peter Barrett-pp.4 4. Dr. Ned Colbert-pp.5 5. Dr. Jim Kitchen-pp.5 6. Larry Gould–pp.5-6 7. Yar Patrisian-pp.7 8. Louie Nizer-pp.11 9. Mary-pp.11-14,17,23 10. Lord Casey-pp.13 11. King of Tonga-pp.13 12. Dr. Rich Penny-pp.13 13. Hiley Solozi-pp.14 14. Dr. Lois Jones-pp.14-15 15. Pete Anderson-pp.14 16. Dr. Mahooney-pp.15 17. Douglas Mawson-pp.16 18. Max Conrad-pp.16 19. General Wes Morland-pp.19 20. Admiral Fotte-pp.19 The media can be accessed here: http://streaming.osu.edu/knowledgebank/byrd/oral_history/David_Kelley_Welch.mp3 David “Kelly” Welch went to Franklin College in Indiana and graduated in 1940. He then went to the Naval Academy for the “V7” officer training and after three months, became a naval officer. He took a position in Antarctica as Commander of Task Force 43 Operation Deep Freeze. His duty there was to escort various VIPs through the ice. He would spend three out of four weeks on the ice and the other week he would be in New Zealand getting ready for the next group of VIPs. At the time he would also take guest to the South Pole and Byrd Station for visits. During the boreal summer, it was light twenty-four hours. This made keeping a schedule tough but they would put blankets over the windows to create some darkness and the cooks kept a regular schedule which helped also. During his command in Antarctica, Welch had many accomplishments. While there, he was selected by the United States Ambassador to Australia to represent the U.S. in the Coral Sea Celebration in 1971. He was sent to Tonga to convince the King of Tonga not to visit Antarctica, and he accompanied the first women scientists in Antarctica. He was also responsible for establishing a flag for each of the signatory nations in the Antarctic Treaty around the South Pole. He retired from the Navy but then took a job with the Association of Universities for Research and Astronomy in Tucson, Arizona. After five years, AURA moved back to D.C. so he retired again and stayed in Tucson. ...