Collection Guide:
Album #1
This album includes imagery related to Spohn in his work spaces conducting various tasks as station meteorologist in the weather office; unloading of cargo from aircraft; heavy equipment tractors boring passageways and clearing snow; views of the fuel storage farm’s “wonder arch”; social activities at Club 90 – the “World’s Most Southern Nightclub” (constructed by Navy carpenter, Tom Osborne); deploying weather balloons; station equipment; tunnels between buildings; and individual photographs of station personnel.
Album #2 (disassembled for preservation purposes)
This album contains images related to Spohn in his work spaces conducting various tasks as station meteorologist in the weather office; station equipment; fuel drums; the Aurora “tower” (with the domes”; weather balloons; tractors plowing snow; individual photos of Spohn, as well as with his family.
Album #3 (disassembled for preservation purposes)
The album contains images related to social events at Club 90; stacked barrels of fuel and hydrogen gas for weather balloon inflation; views of personnel outside the station; generator building; Seabees building an approach ramp to the fuel farm; Spohn working related to various meteorological tasks; personnel dressed as Santa Claus; VIP visitors; south pole wildlife – penguins and sea lions; and unloading cargo from aircraft
The collection also contains 481 color slides, all related to similar subjects as above. Notable topics include: C-130 aircraft; exterior station views; D-8 tractor inside the fuel farm; science building; flags at the station; communications building; weather antennae; groupings of personnel; and the 1962 football game (outdoors).
Also included are 10 poster-size prints of South Pole images (original prints found in the albums/slides) which were used on a December 4, 1963 taping Spohn’s appearance on the “Today Show”.
Spohn's personal papers collection are also held by the Naval History and Heritage Command. Please contact the archives for more information.
