Interview of Charles F. Passel by Raimund E. Goerler

• Main Author: Passel, Charles F.
• Other Authors: Goerler, Raimund E. (Raimund Erhard), 1948-
• Format: Audio
• Language: English
• Published: Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program 2005
• Subjects: Wind Chill; Antarctica > Discovery and exploration > Interviews; Passel; Charles F. > Interviews; Byrd Antarctic Expedition (3rd : 1939-1940); U. S. Antarctic Service Expedition (1939-1940); Antarctic; Byrd; Frazier; Little America; Lockhart; Siple; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1811/6040

Richard E. Byrd, Antarctic explorer, pp. 1-3, 10, 19-20 F. Alton Wade, geologist, participant in several Byrd expeditions, pp. 1-2 Paul Siple, explorer, author, expert on ?wind chill? pp. 3-6, 10, 14 Earnest Lockhart, physiologist, p. 10 Jack Perkins, biologist, p. 10 Russell Frazier, physician, p. 12 The media can be accessed here: http://streaming.osu.edu/knowledgebank/byrd/oral_history/Charles_Passel.mp3 Charles Passel, a geologist trained at Miami University of Ohio by F. Alton Wade, was a major participant in the third Antarctic Expedition at Little America [U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition, 1939-1940] led by Admiral Richard E. Byrd. As an applicant for a position on the Expedition, Passel went to Boston, and ended up staying two weeks as a houseguest of the Admiral, whom he described as "a wonderful, wonderful person." Passel was placed in charge of procurement of all supplies. He planned for an East Base, and a West Base, and -- should there be a fire - a secure, smaller cache beyond each camp. Participants on previous expeditions, including the Admiral himself, advised Passel on proper division of clothing, food, equipment, etc. between the two camps. Passel is generous in his praise of Admiral Byrd, whom he described variously as "popular," "fair," "straight," and "honest." He was not unaware that others had offered less favorable assessments of Byrd. The original intent had been for the Expedition to spend four years in the Antarctic, but the outbreak of World War II in Europe in 1939 forced a decision to cut the stay to two years. There was considerable concern in the United States about possible German interest in Antarctica. Paul Siple was a major figure as leader of the West Base, and he worked closely with Passel in developing "the wind chill formula," one of the most significant scientific outcomes of the Expedition. Passel was given major responsibility for this assignment even though the expedition also included Earnest Lockhart, a physiologist, Jack Perkins, a biologist, and Arnold Court, ...