Interview of William E. Stroup by Dian O. Belanger

• Main Author: Stroup, William E.
• Other Authors: Belanger, Dian Olson, 1941-
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program 2009
• Subjects: United States. Navy > Electronic installations > Maintenance and repair > Interviews; United States. Navy. Seabees > Interviews; Operation Deep Freeze; Arctic regions > Discovery and exploration > Interviews; Polar regions > Discovery and exploration > Interviews; Antarctica > Discovery and exploration > Interviews; Stroup; William E. > Interviews; Antarctic; Arctic; Byrd; Byrd Station; Little America; Petty; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1811/36745

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. Seabee Bill Stroup made chief petty officer the same summer he volunteered for Deep Freeze I. He was the chief electrician for Little America and building Byrd Station. Despite chaotic offloading, Stroup found all of his electrical supplies and moved them to tunnels between buildings where those bound for Byrd Station could later be broken out and sorted. He had charge of the supposedly self-regulating generators, which were a constant problem because of an uncorrectable design flaw. Stroup explained the challenges of raising antenna poles in snow, melting snow for water, and improvising equipment and repairs. He discussed the tractor train trip to Byrd, including walking behind the rein-driven equipment in dangerous areas. Having learned the hard way at Little America, he suggested they not disturb the snow at Byrd Station where the station was to go, so it was less work to level for foundations. He found incoming DF II personnel uninterested in learning from the pioneers' experience, a common situation. National Science Foundation Antarctic Deep Freeze Association