Navy Flyers — Antarctica 1946

Three young Americans died when their Navy seaplane — George 1 — crashed in Antarctica on December 30, 1946:

• Ensign Maxwell A. Lopez, USNR, 20
  Newport, Rhode Island
• Aviation Radioman Wendell K. Hendersin, USN, 25
  Sparta, Wisconsin
• Aviation Machinist Mate Frederick W. Williams, USN, 26
  Huntingdon, Tennessee

There were six survivors:

• Lieutenant (jg) Ralph “Frenchy” LeBlanc — Breaux Bridge, LA
• Lieutenant (jg) Bill Kearns — Boston, MA
• Chief Photographer’s Mate Owen McCarty — Sonoma County, CA
• Aviation Radioman 2nd Class James “Robbie” Robbins — San Diego, CA
• Aviation Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class William Warr — Reading, PA
• Captain Henry Caldwell — the skipper of the Pine Island, a native of Rocklin, California — was in George 1's observation dome because he wanted to see the Antarctic coast.

On January 5, 1947, weather finally permitted the survivors to bury Max Lopez, Bud Hendersin, and Fred Williams in what they assumed would be temporary graves under George 1’s starboard wing.

Operation Highjump

The mission of Operation Highjump — the largest Antarctic expedition ever — involved "consolidating and extending U.S. sovereignty over Antarctic areas, investigating possible base sites and extending scientific knowledge in general." Aerial photography and mapping of the Antarctic coast were primary objectives.

Operation Highjump's task force included six Martin PBM-5 Mariner seaplanes — three each on the USS Currituck (AV-7) and the USS Pine Island (AV-12). Their mission was to photograph the coast of Antarctica.

Death and Survival in the Antarctic

On December 30, 1946, George 1 — a PBM-5 seaplane from the Pine Island — crashed on the Noville Peninsula in Antarctica. The six survivors were rescued on January 12, 1947, by a crew led by Lt. Commander "Iron John" Howell and Ensign Gene Litz. The remains of the three young Navy flyers who died are still in Antarctica, currently about 150 feet below the surface of the ice.

Now that appropriate technology is available, an experienced polar recovery team is preparing to return the remains of Max Lopez, Bud Hendersin, and Fred Williams to their families — who have never forgotten them, and who still care very much — for burial in the United States.

This website tells the story of what happened to these Navy flyers.