Q: Why was it important for you to go to Antarctica?
SC: Well, it was the nature of a challenge to me, at my age, a young fellow,
casting around and at that time, the Depression, I thought it might be
adventuresome and I thought I'd see if I could be accepted as a member of the
party. I didn't want to just go down to the ice on the ship, I wanted to be
member of the ice party and stay for the year.
Q: Were you at all motivated about the mission or doing it for Admiral Byrd
or you just want to go and have an adventure.
SC: It was a result of a personal desire to do something that many people do
not do.
Q: You did ask at one point, Norman Vaughan, if you could go and what did he
say to you?
SC: Now, the first contact was with Norman Vaughan, I'd knew that he worked
for NWA of the advertising people. And I went into his office, in Boston, to
meet him and to tell him of my desire to go on the trip and did he have any
suggestions, as to what I should or should not do. And, we discussed it in
general terms and as I left his office and went out the door, he says you'll
never make it - you're too small. As I went through that inwardly infuriated
me, and as I went through the door, I turned around and said, I'll be there.
Q: Can you tell me the story of walking up the gang plank and how you ended
up making yourself indispensable to the expedition.
SC: Well, the day we left the Navy yard to head for the Antarctic, was one of
the happiest days of my life. I was achieving something that I was trying to
do, partially, at least I was a member of the party. My ultimate goal was to
be member of ah the ice party and as we walked up the gang plank, I was holding
in each hand a big pile of records, records that indicated what we had
received, from whom we'd received them, and what they were. I got half way up
the gang plank and Czegka and Byrd had just gone up the gang plank, ahead of
me, which meant that I was the last man to board the ship and as we got half
way up the gang plank, I called up and I said, hey Vic. And, he turned around
and I held up in each hand, the pile of records and I let them go into Boston
Harbor. And, he didn't say anything and Byrd of course didn't know what I had
done and then I continued up the gang plank and when I got up to Czegka, he
says, what the hell did you do that for? I said, you're going to take me,
you're going to cross me up - you need me.
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