The Article Published in the Globe Times on December 5, 1946 read as follows:
Local Man with Byrd's Polar ExpeditionJoseph Michael Barron, G.M. 3/C, son of Mrs. Helen Barron and the late Joseph Barron, 620 Buchanan Street, is aboard the U.S.S. Mount Olympus, Admiral Richard E. Byrd's Antarctic task force "High Jump" now headed for the Antarctic.The task force will develop Naval techniques for establishing, supporting, and using bases under Polar conditions, consolidate and develop the results of previous expeditions and learn the effects of the frigid weather on personnel and fighting equipment.After completing the expedition next May, Barron will receive his discharge, terminating his 3 1/2 year enlistment in the US Navy. The veteran of World War II has four major engagements to his credit and was aboard the USS Mount Olympus when the ship took part in signing the peace treaty in Japan.This short article told me volumes about my grandfather and his military service. Starting with his ship. The
USS Mount Olympus was an amphibious ship used for large scale operations when command or large amounts of troops needed to go ashore. During it's 4 major engagements during WWII the ship earned two battle stars, and was the afloat headquarters during the
Battle of Leyte Gulf which rendered the Japanese Navy an ineffective force. The Japanese lost 10,000+ troops in the battle which effectively ended the war in the South Pacific.
The USS Mount Olympus was also one of the first US Navy ships to arrive in Japanese waters after the surrender of the country to the Allies. At the time there was the possibility that several Kamikaze planes and airmen were missing and could attack. My grandmother told me that of all the battles of WWI he was in the most tense and scared my grandfather ever was during the war was when they enter Japanese waters after the surrender. After Pearl Harbor, the US Navy put nothing past Japan.
Finally, on December 2nd (three days before the article in the Globe Times was printed) the USS Mount Olympus set off on the Admiral Byrd's legendary Antarctic Expedition known as
Operation High Jump. The USS Mount Olympus met up with the Eastern, Central, and Western Groups after traveling through the Panama Canal crossing the equator and heading to the South Pole. The USS Mount Olympus was named the flagship for the operation and was the ship
Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal,
Admiral Nimitz, Admiral Krusen and
Admiral Byrd all were part of the expedition and called the Mount Olympus home.
This operation was the topic of a documentary that was produced by the US Navy. I have watched the movie now twice, and I believe I can point my grandfather out once in the background. The movie won an
Academy Award in 1948 for best documentary. It can be seen on
google video and is about 70 minutes long.
The movie has stirred controversy since it was put out. Their was a period of time where Admiral Byrd disappeared for about 3 hours, and all the video footage from that time period was thrown out of the plane he was flying on. The pilot landed the plane on one engine (seen in the movie) and that was the explanation for the delay in his travels.
Conspiracy theorists believe that Operation High Jump was not a Naval cold weather equipment and personnel testing mission. They believe it was a mission to chase down Nazi's that left Germany to secret underground bases. They were allegedly continuing to develop the
Vril flying discs and
Thule, a mercury-powered spaceship prototype.
It is said Byrd met in those lost three hours met with
Nazi scientists and SS Officers thought to be dead that brought these special weapons to their secret underground base. Some people even believe Hitler himself lived in South America and Antarctica to supervise his
Nazi UFO program. Obviously, this has never been proven, but some folks believe these tests and programs were moved from Antarctica and placed at a secret military base known today as Area 51.
People even point out that
Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal's untimely death at Bethesda Naval Hospital was part of the cover up of Operation High Jump.
Ultimately, on April 17, 1947 the USS Mount Olympus arrived back in the United States in Washington, DC. Sometime a few weeks later my grandfather was discharged from the Navy and working at the
Bethlehem Steel.
This is a pretty amazing story of a man from Northampton County who enlisted 2/10/1944 to serve his county during a time of war.
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