Admiral Byrd and his dog ‘conquer’ Antarctica in 1928

In December 1927, Navy Rear Adm. Richard E. Byrd Jr. articulated the significance of his prospective scientific expedition to Antarctica:

“Man cannot claim mastery of the globe until he conquers the Antarctic continent. It is the last great challenge…down there lies the greatest adventure left in exploring and aviation.”

He and his loyal traveling companion would do the conquering in 1928. Rear Adm. Byrd treated “Igloo,” a Jack Russell terrier that he adopted in 1926, like family.

 
He and Igloo would be departing for Antarctica from San Pedro, Calif., near Los Angeles. They took a train cross-country from Boston to meet up with the men and the equipment.

“Train rules stipulated that dogs ride in the baggage car, but Byrd was a master negotiator,” wrote Kate Kelly (shown below), publisher of the America Comes Alive! website. “After conversations with several people of authority, it was resolved that if conductors did not see a dog in a compartment, then there was no dog.”

“As they traveled, Byrd stepped out at various stations to allow Igloo a bit of exercise. In Albuquerque, N.M., they encountered a great game (Igloo’s opinion) or a great challenge (Byrd’s view.)”

 

As they got off the train, Igloo discovered an entire prairie dog village. The prairie dogs’ heads kept popping up and down, and Igloo tried to catch them, Kelly said.

“The engineer signaled the conductor that it was time to go. Byrd and a group of large men set about to capture a small but speedy dog. The train finally continued its journey with all aboard, just 10 minutes behind schedule.”

When he boarded the sailing ship, Igloo learned he wasn’t the only canine making the trip. About 80 sled dogs were packed in individual crates. The sight of Igloo sent them into a barking frenzy. The inner demon in Igloo seemed to enjoy taunting the big dogs from time to time…just for the fun of it.

Martin Ronne, the ship’s tailor, was responsible for outfitting the 42 men who were part of the expedition with proper clothing to withstand the freezing temperatures at the South Pole. For Igloo, Ronne made a coat, trousers and tiny boots that laced up.

At the base camp, named “Little America,” Igloo discovered penguins, Kelly said. “He couldn’t resist grabbing a penguin or two by the tail and giving them a good shake.” The penguins responded by “whomping Igloo with their strong flippers.” After that, Igloo kept his distance.

 

“Byrd’s two-year expedition and the exploration of Antarctica provided more information than any explorer had yet been able to gather,” Kelly wrote. “Their trip was a success. Byrd was an international hero.”

In 1930, he often took Igloo with him to stops on the “banquet circuit.” The dog died in 1931 and was buried at Pine Ridge Pet Cemetery in Dedham, Mass., a suburb of Boston. The gravestone, in the shape of an iceberg, is inscribed: “Igloo: He was more than a friend.”

 

In 1934, when Byrd made a second trip to Antarctica, a reporter accompanied the men on their return to Little America. “What’s this?” the reporter asked. He noticed a rubber ball on the floor that had a cat face painted on it.

“It belonged to Igloo,” Kelly wrote. “Igloo had delighted in having the men hide a ball for him at least three or four times a day.”

“Byrd and all the explorers who were with him on the first expedition must have paused for a moment, remembering that one of their most joyful members did not return this year.”