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Operation Highjump: The Navy's 1946 Antarctic Expedition

4,700 men, 13 ships and an admiral's warning, and the myths that grew from them.

Quick answer

What was Operation Highjump?

Operation Highjump was a US Navy expedition to Antarctica from late 1946 to early 1947, involving about 4,700 men, 13 ships and dozens of aircraft. It trained personnel for polar operations and photographed and mapped large stretches of coastline. Three men died in a plane crash. Afterward, Admiral Richard Byrd told a Chilean newspaper the US should prepare for possible attack over the poles, a remark later turned into myths about secret bases and battles.

Timeline

  1. August 1946The Navy organizes the Antarctic Developments Program, called Operation Highjump.
  2. December 1946The task force under Rear Admiral Richard Cruzen arrives in Antarctica. Admiral Richard Byrd is officer in charge.
  3. December 30, 1946A seaplane crashes during a mapping flight. Three crew members are killed and six survive.
  4. February 1947The expedition ends earlier than planned as winter approaches.
  5. March 1947Byrd is quoted in Chile's El Mercurio warning that the US should prepare for attacks across the polar regions.

What is documented, and what is not

On the record

  • The expedition, its size and its mapping work are recorded by the Navy.
  • Three men died in the December 1946 crash.
  • Byrd made public comments about polar defense.

Disputed or unproven

  • Claims that the expedition fought a hidden Nazi base or unidentified craft have no supporting records. Byrd's remarks fit Cold War concerns about bombers crossing the Arctic.

Common questions

Why did the US Navy go to Antarctica in 1946?

To train personnel and test equipment in polar conditions, to map the coastline, and to establish a US presence on the continent.

Did Operation Highjump fight anyone?

No. There is no evidence of combat. Its only casualties came from accidents.

What did Admiral Byrd say?

In 1947 he was quoted warning that the US should be ready for fast aircraft attacking across the polar regions, a reflection of early Cold War strategy.

Read the record yourself

Links go to official archives, museums, agencies and published research. Search links open the archive's own search for this topic.

THE FICTION BUILT ON THIS RECORD · FILE 065 · VOLUME XI4,700 Men Went to Antarctica. Something Called Them on the Radio.In the cold, every voice sounds like it needs help. That is how it hunts.Read the first pages free →

Last reviewed 2026-10-13. This page covers the public record only. Archive files are dramatized and always marked as files.

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