Interview of Frank G. Stokes by Brian Shoemaker

• Main Author: Stokes, Frank G.
• Other Authors: Shoemaker, Brian
• Format: Audio
• Language: English
• Published: Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program 2012
• Subjects: Antarctica > Discovery and exploration > Interviews; Antarctica > Social life and customs > Interviews; Operation Deep Freeze (1955-1956) > Interviews; Stokes; Frank G. > Interviews; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Greenland; Byrd; Atka; Byrd Station; Christchurch; Little America; Kainan Bay; Antarc*; Antarctica; Thule
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1811/51303

The media can be accessed at the links below. Audio Part 1: http://streaming.osu.edu/knowledgebank/byrd/oral_history/Capt_Francis_Stokes_1.mp3 Audio Part 2: http://streaming.osu.edu/knowledgebank/byrd/oral_history/Capt_Francis_Stokes_2.mp3 Capt Stokes became interested in Admiral Byrd after listening to the Admiral’s broadcasts during his expeditions. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1953 and after his first tour of duty volunteered for Operation Deep Freeze. He was assigned to Little America in the fall of 1957 as the Communications Officer. He sailed from Seattle aboard the USS Atka via Christchurch to Little America at Kainan Bay. He gives good descriptions about life “On the Ice”. Mentions that Gus Shinn was their station pilot and that he spent the summer at Little America. Give a thorough accounting of the incident of Bert Crary falling into Kainan Bay when the ice front collapsed. Mentions “Little America College” and the regular lecture series that was involved. Little America was officially closed as a science base at the end of IGY (Dec 31, 1958), but Stokes was left behind with a close-out crew. He closed out the station on January 19, 1959 – he was the last to leave. He never had duty again in the Antarctic, but returned twice as a tourist in 1994 and 1995. The following is pertinent: 1. Listened to Admiral Byrd on radio as a young man. 2. While at Naval Academy wrote thesis on Admiral Byrd. 3. Volunteered for Deep Freeze after his first tour in fleet in 1957. 4. Was sent to Thule Greenland for survival school. 5. Was assigned as the Communications Officer to Antarctic Support Activities headed by Capt Pat Mayer. 6. He flew to Christchurch and boarded the USS Atka and headed for Kainan Bay. 7. He describes crashing two helicopters at Little America. 8. Slept in sleeping bag at first until previous winter crew left. 9. CDR Tommy Thompson was CO of Little America – Stokes boss. 10. Stokes was also Postal Officer requiring him to fly to Byrd Station and McMurdo. 11. Describes “Goober Beer”. ...