[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 124 (Thursday, September 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1900-E1901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST AIRCRAFT LANDING AT THE 
                    SOUTH POLE BY LCDR ``GUS'' SHINN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 28, 2006

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 
50th anniversary of the first aircraft landing at the South Pole by 
Lieutenant Commander Conrad ``Gus'' Shinn.
  Over 60 years ago, Gus became a pilot with the United States Navy and 
several years later began testing landing ``skis'' for aircraft to 
facilitate polar exploration. It was development of these skis through 
his testing and evaluation that not only allowed the establishment and 
support of large field stations in the interiors of Greenland and 
Antarctica but also the aerial mapping of over 200,000 square miles of 
unexplored polar territory. Gus's leadership was instrumental in 
developing a system to maintain these field stations and their research 
efforts.
  No one had set foot at the South Pole since 1912, so it was even more 
remarkable that the next person to set foot in that unforgiving climate 
would do so by airplane. When Gus completed the first successful 
landing at the South Pole, he established his position not only as one 
of the foremost polar explorers but also one of the foremost pilots. 
His knowledge of polar exploration was considered to be on par with 
other famous figures such as Admiral Byrd and Lincoln Ellsworth. So 
highly regarded was his expertise in both aviation and polar 
exploration that he led the next four ``Deep Freeze'' missions that 
also landed at the South Pole. It was these missions, along with two 
other flights, that Gus participated in that allowed the materials and 
manpower to be flown in to build the United States base that remains at 
the South Pole today.
  LCDR Shinn retired from the Navy in 1963, a legend in his field. 
National Geographic highlighted his party's efforts in 1957, but it is

[[Page E1901]]

difficult at best to fully do justice to the headway he made in 
exploring unknown parts of the world. Today, both he and the original 
plane he flew reside in my district in Northwest Florida, and I am 
proud to have him as a contributor to the area's rich heritage of 
aviation history.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to commemorate the vast 
contribution of LCDR Conrad ``Gus'' Shinn to polar exploration and the 
50th anniversary of his successful landing at the South Pole.

                          ____________________