The Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal was established by Act of Congress in 1936 to commemorate the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition.

Criteria

Established by an act of congress on 2 June 1936, the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal was awarded to expedition members who spent six months, the entire winter night, at Little America. Commanders of the expeditions ships, who commanded throughout the expedition from 1933 through 1935, were also eligible. This criteria limited the award of the medals to 50 recipients.

Appearance

The medal is a circular a silver medallion 1 1/4 inches in diameter. The

obverse Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ...

depicts the figure of

Admiral Byrd Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957) was an American naval officer and explorer. He was a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the highest honor for valor given by the United States, and was a pioneering American aviator, p ...

, in polar clothing with a sled dog standing to the left. To the right of the figure, in two lines, are the dates ''1933 1935''. The inscription ''BYRD ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION'' arcs around the top of the medal. The reverse has a rectangle bearing the inscription, in 14 lines: ''PRESENTED TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE SECOND BYRD ANT- ARCTIC EXPEDITION TO EXPRESS THE VERY HIGH ADMIRATION IN WHICH THE CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HOLD THEIR HEROIC AND UNDAUNTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR SCIENCE UNEQUALLED IN THE HISTORY OF POLAR EXPLORATION''. A

Ford Tri-Motor The Ford Trimotor (also called the "Tri-Motor", and nicknamed the "Tin Goose") is an American three-engined transport aircraft. Production started in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and ended on June 7, 1933, after 199 had been made. It w ...

airplane appears above the tablet in relief with a dog sled, "Little America" buildings, and the sailing ship "City of New York" around the rectangle. The medal is suspended from a solid white silk ribbon.

Notable recipients

*Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, USN (Retired) *

Harold June Harold Irving June (1895–1962) was a machinist, an aviator, a test pilot, and an explorer in Antarctica. He is best known for his 1928–1930 service in the first Antarctic expedition of Admiral Richard E. Byrd. Sitting in the co-pilot's sea ...

, USN * Thomas Poulter *Dr. Paul A. Siple, Ph.D.

References

{{Authority control 1936 establishments in the United States Awards established in 1936