RACE FOR THE SOUTH POLE
British lieutenant Ernest Shackleton wintered in 1907 on the Ross Ice Shelf, from where he started his course for the South Pole. On January 9, 1909, he reached 88º 23'S, just within 179 km. of the Pole.
Although the exploit had not been achieved, this attempt emphasized the interest to reach the Pole. Height of the heroic period is situated in 1911-1912 when the South Pole was reached, exploit due to Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. With this expedition he proved his skills as an organizer and showed that teams of dogs were the best means of transport.
World War I interrupted southern explorations. Only Shackleton (1914) intended to cross the Polar plateau going from the Weddell sea to the Ross sea, but his goal could not been achieved because his ship was crushed by ices, and then destroyed. The crew succeeded in saving merci to the extraordinary conduction of the expedition leader, who, together with two mates, reached to obtain rescue facilities.
With advances in aviation, during the year of 1928, it is decided to use flights to make reconnaissances over Antarctica. It is American aviator Byrd who performed repeated raids, and who succeeded to fly over the Pole on December 28, 1929.
In 1939, the need of having a centralized organization devoted to the defense and development of our Antarctic interests motivated a year later the creation of the Comisión Nacional del Antártico, a dependency of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship. Accordingly to a recommendation of this Comisión and a plan prepared by Servicio de Hidrografía Naval, the Antarctic expedition of 1942 was organized, lead by Captain Alberto J. Oddera.
Oddera expedition was carried out on board 1º de Mayo vessel and reached Decepción island on February 6, 1942. On February 8, Captain Oddera took formal possession of the Antarctic Sector on behalf Argentine govenment and deposited the document into a cylinder that remained on the island. This ceremony was repeated then in Melchior archipelagos and Argentine islands. An important hydrographic and cartographic survey was also performed, the first Argentinean lighthouse was installed on the so-called at present 1º de Mayo island (Melchior Archipelago) and biological and geological works were carried out with personnel from Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia".
In 1943 another Antarctic campaign took part, completing some surveys started by the former one and reaching Margarita bay waters, where the equipment left by the American expedition of Byrd at Base del Este was recovered.
As a result of both expeditions a great enhancement of studies was produced, including cartographic, hydrographic, magnetism, meteorological, low-tide and high-tide surveys, reconnaissance flights and collection of biological, geological, and glaciological samples, as well as works of indications with lighthouses and beacons. Basis for a future expansion of Antarctic activity was already set up and such activity started quickly: during 1946-1947 campaign, Melchior station is installed and a reconnaissance flight is performed on beyond the Polar Cercle led by Rear-admiral Gregorio Portillo. One year later, Decepción station is installed and is provided with a seismographic and vulcanologic station and a shelter on the Antarctic peninsula, at Andvord bay, is built.
Antarctic activities during the decade of ´40 were performed by the Navy force, but in the end of this period the other forces were incorporated quickly to the activities in the white continent and new personalities provided their effort to the exploration and reconnaissance of the Sector.
During the next decade, the conspicuous hero is colonel Hernán Pujato, who developped an ambitious plan in 1949, whose main goals were as follows: 1. The creation of a specific scientific institute; 2. The fulfillment of a polar expedition to Continental Antarctica and the settlement of a station South of the Polar Cercle; 3. The purchase of an icebreaker allowing the penetration of Weddell sea and the installation of a station on the southern tip; 4. The South Pole conquest; 5. The settlement of a population with families.
The plan was fullfilled on March 21, 1951, with the settlement of San Martín Base at Margarita bay, the creation on April 17, 1951 of Instituto Antártico Argentino; the purchase of "Gral. San Martín" icebreaker in 1954 and its first Antarctic campaign in 1955 during which "Gral. Belgrano" Station was installed, and the realization of the First Argentine Terrestrial Expedition to the South Pole in 1965, led by colonel Jorge E. Leal, so-called "Operación 90", that fulfilled the aims of endorsing the Argentine presence in its southermost tip, and on the other hand a scientific aim by carrying out observations and by obtaining a valuable information for different research lines, as well as new experiences on polar techniques.
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