Byrd flies over the South Pole. American explorer Richard E. Byrd, along with three companions, makes the first flight over the South Pole. Byrd gained international attention in 1926 when he passed within 150 miles of the North Pole. In 1929, he led a large, well-equipped expedition to Antarctica, establishing a base camp called “Little America” on the surface of the Ross Ice Shelf. From there, several reconnaissance flights of the continent began. After his successful flight over the Pole, he led four more Antarctic expeditions, allowing the mapping of approximately one million square miles.
