KC4USA 1940 Little America, Antarctica

KC4USA
West Base, Antarctica
U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition, 1939-1941
Commanded by Admiral Richard E. Byrd, U.S. Navy.
The station went QRT on January 12, 1941.

In the December 1939 issue of "QST" Clinton B. DeSoto, W1BCD, authored an article, "Byrd Antarctic Expedition to Use Amateur Radio," which mentions the operators and equipment to be used at West Base during the expedition. The radio team led by Aviation Radioman 1st Class Clay W. Bailey had two other operators: Radioman Second Class J. A. Reece, U.S. Navy, and Marine Technical Sergeant W. R. Giles, Navy Aviation Pilot and radio operator.

Lieutenant Commander Clay Wilson Bailey, USN, was born March 8, 1906 in Kentucky and died January 21, 1994 in Sedona, Arizona. Burial in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. He was veteran of Admiral Byrd's Antarctic expedition (1933-35) and World War II. During World War II he was attached to the staff aboard ship with the 3rd U.S. Fleet, commanded by Admiral Halsey, throughout the South Pacific campaign.

Warrant Officer 1 Jerry Arnold "Pappy" Reece, USN, ex-W4CTA, was born July 15, 1903 in Duffau, Erath County, Texas and died June 10, 1981. He was veteran of World War II.

Lieutenan Colonel Walter Robert Giles, USMC, was born January 3, 1912 and died April 11, 1996. Burial in Eastview Cemetery, Conyers, Georgia. Mount Giles (Antarctica) is named for him. Mount Giles is a mainly snow-covered mountain (820 m) located 5 nautical miles (9 km) south-southeast of Lynch Point on the coast of Marie Byrd Land. The mountain is the highest elevation on the divide between the seaward ends of Frostman Glacier and Hull Glacier. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the period from 12 September through 17 November 1942. He was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Pacific War Area during World War II. He was a veteran of World War II and Korea.

This Hamgallery card was signed by "Buck." Another KC4USA QSL card, in the collection of W5KNE, has the signature "Buck Boyd," who was Lieutenant Vernon Davis "Buck" Boyd, USMC. He was not a radio operator, he was Master Mechanic for the expedition. He was a veteran of four Antarctic expeditions, numerous Arctic expeditions, World War II and Korea. He retired from the U.S. Marine Corps with the rank of Major. He was born September 11, 1907 in Vermont and died May 29, 1965 in the Naval Hospital in Oakland, California.
73, Bob, W5KNE

QSL courtesy of W5ODD
From the estate of W5JC
Info courtesy of W5KNE