Wilkes in 1958

By Frank Benlein

There are 2 photo galleries with this story which you should open to follow along. Gallery 1 is slides by Frank and gallery 2 are photo by Ralph Holt supplied by Frank. The numbers in square brackets [S-1] refer to the picture numbers which are hidden away near the bottom of the photo gallery.

To start with we all had orders to report to Davisville RI, the departure area to the south [S-1]. This is where we were sent to schools for training for things other then our ratings and education on what to expect. Also had doctors and psychologists look at us. We got to see some of the equipment that was going with us and that was already down there, the weasel [S-2], the big Sno Cat [S-3],the small Sno Cat [S-4 S-5], snow blowers [S-6], Dodge power wagons [S-7], and trailers [S-8].

All of our food, clothing, goodies and other important items, plus all of us went aboard the Arneb [S-9 to S-11]. They were so happy to see us go they sent out the band [S-12]. We headed south to the Panama Canal, went through the canal and headed south again to New Zealand. After some time of heading south it got cold. You knew it was getting colder because the ocean had ice cubes in it [S-13 through S-20]. Well I got some heavier clothes on [S-22], and more ice cubes [S-23]. I wasnÕt the only one who needed more clothes [S-24]. More ice cubes and more clothes [S-25 to S-27].

Then we had a convoy, the Arneb, the Greenville Victory and ice breakers [S-28]. We entered the pack ice [S-29 to S-32] and we were on our way to Cape Hallett. As we got closer we could make out some black among the ice [S-33 to S-38]. Well we did have to say farewell to some of the friends we made because this was going to be their home for a year [S-39].

The next slides were taken from the ship before they let us go ashore [S-40 to S-46]. Well before we got to go ashore I was told one of the wintering persons had got hurt and maybe I would stay at this base. Well I was told the next day I would be going on to Wilkes. We went ashore and to meet some of the natives [S-47 S-48]. As you can see they were very interested in the unloading of the boats. You will also notice they stayed back of the red flag [S-49].

They keep one of the choppers to transport to the ice breakers and check ice conditions [S-50]. On slide [S-51] you can see the M boats making runs to the ships. Some more views of the base and area [S-52 to S-58]. The chopper is headed for the ships and we are headed for the Arneb to go to Wilkes [S-59]. As we head out of the pack ice you can see some more of the area by Cape Hallett [S-60 to S-67].

After seeing Cape Hallett I was wondering just what Wilkes would be like [S-68]. One of the crew of the ice breaker told us we would be going through ice berg alley. Welcome to ice burg alley. I will try and tell this story and group the slides. As you can see things got a little thick in a hurry [S-69]. The breakers made a path, but the old Arneb still did some breaking [S-70 to S-74]. That crunch of ice breaking against the hull is a sound all its own. You can see how the breakers kept the ice pack broke up for us [S-75 to S-81]. Sometimes the ice would close in behind the breakers [S-82 to S-85]. Look close and you will be able to see the trail [S-86] left from the breaker. It was some thing to watch how these breakers cut around us back and forth to open a path for us [S-878 to S-94].

I believe that when those breakers hit open water you could hear a cheer go up [S-95 S-96]. A few more burgs and some pack ice and we were there [S-97 to S-10]. Well looking to shore is the first I view I saw of Wilkes [S-111 to S-113] and it did look a lot different then Cape Hallett. The pilot boat came out to meet us [S-114] then we got into the M boat and went ashore [S-115], up Vincennes Bay, to the loading ramp where you see the rat being unloaded [S-116 to S-119].

I took a quick trip around the base so I could get some photos to send back to the states. [S-120] is looking back from the back of the Rec Hall past the Aurora Tower. [S-121] is looking over the garage toward the antennas an Aerology Dome. [S-122 S-123] is looking over the ramp to the ice cap. [S-124] is the Glaciology Lab and [S-125] is the Balloon Building. [S-126] is Arneb being unloaded. [S-127 S-128] are emergency huts.

You can see the ice flow outside Vincennes Bay [S-129]. The next slides are a look around Vincennes Bay [S-130 to S-136]. We all got together with the ones we were relieving to find out how things were done. One thing we did have was a main highway [S-137 to S-140]. Here is a couple of slides showing the melt lake and bringing water back to the base [S-141 to S-144].

Dogs you say Ð yes we had dogs, but I only know a few names, Muckluk, Tuchluk. The first 2 pups to live after birth are in [P-1]. The one always had a itÕs head cocked. Maybe he was trying to get a slanted look at this cockeyed world. [P-2] is Mom with her second batch of pups. Proud Mom [P-3] and the four little ones ruled the base [P4 P5]. [S-145 to S-147] are the pups a little bigger. The king of the dogs was Muckluk [S-1248 to S-150]. As for working the dogs, Mr. Ommundsen did, and others tried. Of course Santa used them also[S-151 S-152]. When time allowed others had fun with them [S-153 to S-156].

When we got settled in the work started, with one of the big jobs being building more tunnels. No matter who you were, if you had spare time you helped. Mr. Lynsky was the head wood chopper [P-6] and the boss. Like I said, all helped, Mr. Tressler, Fr. Birkenhauer [P-7], and Dr. Sparkes [P-8]. But with hard work the tunnels were built [P-9 to P-14] and finished [P-15]. We even had out ghost [P-16 P-17], but we did have storage [P-18 P-19].

Another building project was the building for seismology. First built the forms then mix the cement and keep it warm [P-18 to P-20]. After the cement was ready, then with the help of the hyster the building is set [P-20a]. Next came the equipment and a seismology lab [P-21]. The next building was the chapel [P-22 P-23]. Mr. Lynsky did an outstanding job finishing it.

On April 25 we got a storm and the weather vane went down saying 116 knots, but it had a lot higher to go. The Aerologists said at least 140 knots. It about blew the roof off the garage and lifted others. It was a constant watch through the night, and in the morning Mr. Lynsky and myself went out to fix roofs. You could hardly find our faces for the frost. Well when we could get out this is what we saw. The antenna mast bent and guy cables snapped [P-24 P-25]. Equipment full of snow and some blown around like toys [P-26 to P-32]. Some of the equipment had to be dug out by hand [P-33 to P-35]. We even had to shovel out the tunnels [P-36 to P-39]. The wind was so strong any type of crack opened up and snow came in. Some of the worst damage was the Jamesway huts [P-40 to P-57]. The shops and storage of goods just a mess, so the job began to try and get things closed up. Of course we had other snows but not as bad [P-58 to P-60].

We had one other fright when the carpenter shop caught on fire. The alarms went off and most thought it was the generators. At first we were going to doze it out of the way but the oxygen and other gases were in the way [P-61]. We rushed out to the melt lake to get water and on the way back threw a track and had to change dozers, and finally got the water to the fire [P-62 P-63]. In photos [P-64 P-65] you can see what it is supposed to look like and [P-66 to P-69] shows the damage from the fire.

We had some other small things happen like when the dozer and I fell into the hole out side of camp. It went about 5 feet down but it felt further [P-70 S-157]. With the help of the other dozer [S-158 S-159] we got it out.

Once and a while we could get some BBC station, but hardly could make it out. The one song sounded like purple people eater and with the help of the ham radio we found this to be true. So we took the top off one of the weasles and painted it purple [S-160]. It got used for everything and some times it got stuck [S-161 to S-163].

When we first got to Wilkes fuel was needed for the generators. All our fuel came in drums so we had to transfer from small to big [P-71]. All the buildings had their own fuel drum so that was a lot of running around. There was a large rubber tank [P-72] so they ran lines to the drums at all the buildings around the base. Well we pumped from the drums into the rubber tank [P-73] then from that tank to the other drums. On that day we were all assigned to a building or two to fill the drums. It was done in a couple of hours instead of a couple of days. When it came time to fill the big tank we would get the hyster pick up the full drums, swing them over open, then pump them into the big tank and load up the empties and haul them to storage [S-164 to S-167]. It also made it easier to fuel the dozers [P-74]. The gas and lube oil had there place by the garage [P-75].

We did have a nice sick bay [P-76], photo lab [P-77], lounges [P-78 P79], and rec hall [P-80]. We had a ships store where we could get candy, smokes, beer and other necessities [P-80]. On holidays and special days we would dress up and have a special meal [P-82 to P-98]. After all his hard work cooking, serving, and cleaning up our cook deserved a rest [P-99].

Some of us who went to demolition school got to blow holes in the ice [S-169 to S-173]. Why blow a hole in the ice? To go ice fishing [P-100 P101]. Of course you could do it the old fashioned way [P-102]. We did blow some holes for Mr. Tressler so he could take his clam bucket and bring up bottom samples [S-174 S-175 P-102 P-103]. Mid-Winters day was a holiday for us so some thought they would take a swim [S-176 to S-179].

Some of the sunsets and sunrises made a color all their own [S-180 to S-190]. With spring around the corner it was time to dig out [S-191 to S-193]. But in some cases other things got dug up like fuel lines. With thoughts of spring we could not think of winter with the snow covering the base and equipment [S-194 to S-200]. Then spring ice and snow melting [S-201 to S-203], then the ice leaving the shores [S-204 S-205]. We still had snow towards the ice cap [S-206].

With the ice out of the bay, boaters got these crafts ready. Your choice, a row boat [S-207], or a pontoon made of steel drums and a VW motor [S-208].

With the ice off shore some friends came to call [S-209 S-210]. Well we did know they brought the whole clan from near and far [S-211 to S-218]. The seals had to have some of our time also [S-219 to S-221].

Then one nice sunny day out in the bay was a ship, and all came to see [S-222 S-223]. But wait, what is that thing out in the bay [S-224], it donÕt look like a boat Ð itÕs a Duck [S-225]. But it did bring us all kinds of goodies, fresh eggs and veggies.

Bob the cook said only sunny side up. We hadnÕt seen an egg cooked on the grill from when we cooked penguin eggs. You know when you cook them the white stays transparent and the taste like raw fish.

Anyway the two Australian army personnel who were in charge of the Duck were real friendly [S-226 S-227]. But wait, you want to a what to do what?? A runway? You guessed it, the ship brought a plane. The plane sure looked sharp taxiing up to us [S-228 to S-231]. Well the pilot asked me if I wanted to go up for a ride. He must have known I love to fly in small planes, so up we went. The pilot (a real nice person) told me at that time it had more in flight hours then any other plane in the Antarctic. While we were gliding though the air I took some photos of the base until the camera jammed the film. But I did get some [S-232 to S-237]. I tired to find some more info on the plane but couldnÕt.

Anyway, the captain of the ship came ashore and met with Mr. Sparkes [P-104], and some tours were given [P-105]. The Duck kept bringing stores ashore [P-106] and we kept unloading [P-106]. We then all got together in the garage to exchange stories [P-108]. Then in the bay our ride out of the ice arrived, the Staten Island [S-238]. Well time was getting short so we had the change of command [S-239] and finished loading [S-240]. We got loaded in the Duck [S-241] to take our final trip from the shores of Wilkes to the waiting Staten Island [S-242], and out through the ice pack [S-243 S-244].

With all our memories tucked away inside we say goodbye to Antarctica [S-245].

Frank Benlein, 2007

Frank Benlein Wilkes 1958