The Man

Norman Vaughan was part of history as the chief dog driver on the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition in 1928-30.

Born in 1905, when Teddy Roosevelt was president and polar exploration was in its heyday, Norman was weaned on tales of Robert Peary, Roald Amundsen, and Sir Robert Falcon Scott. In 1925 he left Harvard to join one of his heroes, Sir Wilfred Grenfell in Newfoundland, bringing medical supplies by dog sled to isolated villages. He left school again three years later to go to Antarctica with Admiral Byrd - a bold move that changed his life.

They were the first Americans to set foot in the interior of Antarctica and discovered land never seen before by man. It was the end of an era of exploration by dog team and the beginning of aviation. Norman is the last surviving member of that expedition.

To honor Norman for his contributions as chief dog driver, Admiral Byrd named a mountain after him. On December 16, 1994, three days shy of his 89th birthday, Norman fulfilled a lifelong dream. He climbed his namesake, Mount Vaughan, a 10,302' Antarctic peak. Now he plans on going back to celebrate his 100th birthday at the top.

Norman has authored two books, WITH BYRD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD, about his experiences of the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition and MY LIFE OF ADVENTURE, which is about all of his life.