Interview of George Toney by Dian O. Belanger

• Main Author: Toney, George
• Other Authors: Belanger, Dian Olson, 1941-
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program 2009
• Subjects: Operation Deep Freeze; Arctic regions > Discovery and exploration > Interviews; Polar regions > Discovery and exploration > Interviews; Antarctica > Discovery and exploration > Interviews; Toney; George > Interviews; Antarctic; Arctic; Atka; Byrd; Byrd Station; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica; Icebreaker
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1811/36744

The Antarctic Deep Freeze oral history project was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and supported by the Antarctic Deep Freeze Association. The original paper copies and unaltered tapes have been deposited in the library of the National Science Foundation. George Toney was loaned to the secretariat of the US National Committee for the IGY as a US Weather Bureau Arctic logistics specialist. He accompanied the Antarctic reconnaissance cruise of the icebreaker Atka in 1954-55. During Deep Freeze I, he worked on preparations for the IGY Antarctic program-recruiting personnel, training and clothing them, and transporting them and their scientific equipment. Very late, he was appointed scientific leader at inland Byrd Station. When he landed to winter over in January 1957, construction crews that came with supplies by tractor train had erected four buildings, but much outdoor work remained to be done in the waning season. Many materials and supplies never arrived, making improvisation essential and privation a fact of life (though he dismissed this). Working later for the National Science Foundation, he summered twice at McMurdo to coordinate the scientific program with Navy supply and went on the first two cruises of the laboratory ship Eltanin in the early 1960s. National Science Foundation Antarctic Deep Freeze Association