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Carl R. Disch

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American scientist
Carl R. Disch
BornCarl Robert Disch
Monroe, Wisconsin, U.S.
DisappearedMay 8, 1965
near Byrd Station, Antarctica
OccupationPhysicist
Known forMysterious disappearance

Carl Robert Disch (presumed dead on May 14, 1965) was an ionospheric physicist for the National Bureau of Standards who went missing near Byrd Station, Antarctica, on May 8, 1965.

Disappearance

Disch was stationed at the radio noise building of Byrd Station to work on his ionospheric studies. On the morning of May 8, 1965, he left the radio noise building to return to the main station complex located 2.1 km away. When Disch had not arrived at the main station within a reasonable time, a rescue party departed the station to search for him. His trail was spotted but the search party had to go back to the station for refueling. Upon their return, the trail had been covered by drifting snow and was never rediscovered. Despite exhaustive searches and measures taken to make the station more visible, including firing of flares and illuminating extra floodlights, Disch was never found.

While he was missing, temperatures dropped to −79 °F (−62 °C). The search was called off on May 14. He is presumed dead and his body has never been recovered. Memorial services were held in his hometown of Monroe, Wisconsin. He was 26 years old.

Conspiracy

The disappearance of Disch has spawned many conspiracy theories. They are given legitimacy by an alleged message transmitted to McMurdo Station in 1971. The author of the message, claiming to be Disch, stated that he was alive. The message has been disregarded as a hoax.

Legacy

The Disch Promontory is named in his honor.

See also

References

  1. ^ Bulletin of the United States Antarctic Projects Office. Vol. 6. U.S. Antarctic Projects Office. 1965. p. 2. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  2. ^ Antarctic Report (PDF). National Science Foundation. May 1965. p. 13. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  3. "Antarctic Scientist Wanders, Dies". San Bernardino Sun. No. 71. 10 May 1965. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  4. Childress, David (May 20, 2020). Antarctica and the Secret Space Program: From WWII to the Current Space Race. SCB Distributors. ISBN 978-1-948803-28-1. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  5. "Disch Promontory". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
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