| Summary: | Admiral Dufek, pp. 6-7, 9-10 Nelson Cole, killed in a dangerous winter landing in Antarctica, p. 14 Father Darkowsky, Catholic priest who served in Antarctica, pp. 20-21 The media can be accessed here: http://streaming.osu.edu/knowledgebank/byrd/oral_history/Stanislaus_Antos.mp3 Major Stanislaus Antos was a military aviator who became a pilot for the US Navy Operation Deep Freeze [One] in Antarctica. Previously, he had been an aviator with both the Navy and the Marine Corps, and had experience flying aircraft in the Arctic regions of Alaska and Canada. He joined the expedition midway, in November, 1956, as one of a sizable contingent of Marine pilots and mechanics, and remained in Antarctica until 1958. Once there, he flew a P2V7, a big, heavy aircraft used both for transporting people and equipment. It was an older aircraft outfitted with retractable skis underneath the wheels. When landing on snow, pilots were aided by a system of shaded colored markers that indicated various points along the runway. Antos was the first pilot to land a P2V7 at the South Pole, but Admiral Dufek and a second plane had already landed moments earlier at the Pole using different types of planes. Once it landed at the Pole, it was necessary for a plane to move about in circles for a time to flatten out the snow and compact the runway. This made it easier to take off later. Major Antos and the other military pilots had varied duties in Antarctica. They flew scientists and supplies to various stations, and helped establish and maintain living quarters, such as the Janeway huts, when they were not flying. Some flights involved smaller aircraft for shorter trips, such as unloading supplies from a supply ship. Antos had learned to cut hair as a child, and once gave a haircut to Admiral Dufek, a man he greatly admired. Once he flew the Admiral in a small plane that landed near Mt. Arabeth, an active volcano. He also routinely flew scientists into the field for study. He recalled some of the challenges of wintering over in Antarctica ...
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