richardbyrd

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According to The Chickasha Daily Express., June 05, 1919, Page 8, column 2 (top)
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86090528/1919-06-05/ed-...
Byrd was an Olympic discus champion.

"Richard Leslie "Dick" Byrd (May 16, 1892 – June 20, 1958) was an American athlete and baseball player who won the silver medal in the discus throw at the 1912 Summer Olympics." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Byrd_(athlete) www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=68490211

The wreckage of Lt. Cmdr. Richard Byrd's (USN) Fokker C-2 (F.VII/3m) "America", (NX206; c/n 706). In addition to Byrd, "America" was crewed by Lt. George O. Noville, Bert Acosta, and Bernt Balchen. As per Wikipedia: For eight years after the first non-stop heavier than air Atlantic crossing by a British Vickers Vimy in 1919, there were no further such flights. Then, in 1927, three crossings were made by American flyers, the America's being the third after Lindbergh's first solo crossing in the Spirit of St. Louis flight and Clarence Chamberlin's Columbia flight from New York to Berlin. All three were aspiring to win the Orteig Prize. It was also the first aircraft to carry official airmail across the Atlantic. The America was destroyed after it was ditched near the French village of Ver-sur-Mer after having flown to Paris but unable to land due to fog. Distance covered was about 3,800 miles not counting the time and distance spent at Paris waiting in vain for the fog to clear. After it was towed ashore, it was torn apart by souvenir hunters. Portions of the aircraft reside in several museums in Europe and in the United States. The America is a subject of the America/Goldbeach Museum, located in Ver-sur-Mer. See also: www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/America-NX206.htm aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=65208

Excellent

These always tug at me to research; all I have time for now is.... Launched Sept. 1945, commissioned 11 May 1946; In June, went to Quonset Point, R.I., for initial training of the crew. By September 1946, she began her shakedown cruise in the Caribbean area with Air Group 20 embarked. Upon returning, she was ordered back to Boston to prepare for the Navy's Antarctic Expedition, Operation Highjump. On 29 January 1947, from a position 660 miles off the Antarctic continent, Philippine Sea launched the first of six R4D transport aircraft which she had ferried from Norfolk, Va., as part of Operation Highjump. An R4D carried Rear Adm. Richard E. Byrd and his party from the ship to begin their polar explorations from Little America.

Looking at the Island structure, I'd say that this photo was taken sometime in 1953 or later. In 1946 the bridge and funnel of the Philippine Sea looked nothing like it shows in this photo. Hope this info helps.

Brian J.73 Thanks!