Recently, a friend sent me this photograph from a company newsletter published in 1979 announcing that several employees of the Antarctic Support Division of Holmes & Narver, Inc., had been awarded the Antarctic Service Medal by the National Science Foundation. It was a proud day for those of us gathered around that conference table. Regrettably, some of those great people are no longer with us.
I had the privilege of serving on two occasions as the manager of contract support services provided to the scientific research efforts conducted on and around the southern-most continent. The government agency charged with overseeing the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) is the National Science Foundation’s Division of Polar Programs. You can learn about their responsibilities, including how to apply for employment, at this website: http://www.usap.gov/
My first term as manager occurred in the last half of the 1970s when Holmes & Narver (H&N) held the contract with what was then called the United States Antarctic Research Program (USARP). This hero shot shows me during my first trip to Antarctica standing on Observation Hill above McMurdo Station with Mount Erebus (an active volcano) in the background. My second term as manager took place in the early part of the 1990s when Antarctic Support Associates (ASA), a joint venture of H&N and EG&G, provided contractual services to USAP.
I am proud to display my framed Antarctic Service Medal of the United States of America and its accompanying certificate of award “For Service in Antarctica.”
I was also fortunate that the NSF recommended, and the United States Board of Geographic Names approved, a feature in Antarctica to bear the name Murphy Peak in recognition of my work to support scientific research on the frozen continent in 1976-80 and 1990-92.
The old H&N newsletter article and photo shown above reminded me of all the wonderful people with whom I have been associated while working in Antarctica. It is an honor to be considered an OAE (Old Antarctic Explorer).
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I swell with pride reading this and remembering those times you were in the Antarctic. Much love, your sister, Suzy
What an adventure you must have had on both of your missions to Antarctica! Kudos for all of your important work. I give you a 10 Penguin starred rating 🙂
That definitely was an experience to remember. You looked quite distinguished with your beard!