Isaac "Ike" Schlossbach | |
|---|---|
 Ike Schlossbach warming up the Waco, Spring 1938 | |
| Born | (1891-08-20)August 20, 1891 |
| Died | August 1, 1984(1984-08-01) (aged 92) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Polar explorer |
Isaac "Ike" Schlossbach (c. August 20, 1891 – August 1984) was an Americanpolar explorer,submariner andaviation pioneer.
He was born inBradley Beach, New Jersey and raised inNeptune Township, New Jersey where he attendedNeptune High School.[1][2]
In 1911, Schlossbach became the firstJewishmidshipman at theUnited States Naval Academy inAnnapolis, Maryland, winning letters infootball andwrestling. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1915 and volunteered to go to the firstsubmarine school. DuringWorld War I, he commanded submarines in theMediterranean.
In 1921, after the end of the war, Schlossbach joined the aviation branch of theUnited States Navy. He was first to be sent to lighter-than-air flying school (dirigibles). In 1922, he learned to fly fixed-wing aircraft. By 1925, thenLieutenant Commander Schlossbach was leading an aero squadron. He first commanded the squadron that flew the record South American flight[clarification needed], and then the first squadron to serve on the firstaircraft carrier,USS Langley.
Schlossbach had trouble with his left eye, and the Navy assigned him to the Naval Academy, teaching engineering and aviation and coaching the football team. In 1930 at the age of 38, Lieutenant Commander Schlossbach was forced to retire from the Navy on a medical discharge when he lost his eye.
Just before U.S. entry intoWorld War II, Schlossbach headed a small radio/meteorological team that founded the airport atFort Chimo (Crystal I) in Labrador on 10 October 1941. Out of retirement, he further distinguished himself while assigned toGuadalcanal.
Schlossbach went on twelvepolar expeditions, three to theArctic and nine to theAntarctic. He was on theWilkins Trans-Arctic Expedition in 1931 and served as navigator onUSSNautilus, the first attempt to take a submarine to theNorth Pole under theicepack. He commanded AdmiralRichard Byrd's ship,Bear of Oakland, and was a pilot on Byrd's Second Antarctic Expedition (1933–35). He was the second in command on theMacGregor Arctic Expedition (1937–38) where he accomplished a number ofpolar aviation firsts. In 1939, he accompanied Byrd again to the Antarctic on theUnited States Antarctic Service Expedition.
AfterWorld War II, Schlossbach was second in command on the last privately funded Antarctic expedition, the 1946–1948Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition. He commanded the 1200-ton diesel-powered wooden tugPort of Beaumont, which was frozen intoBack Bay through the winter. He also accompaniedFinn Ronne to a cape in theWeddell Sea, which was named after him.[3] as is a mountain.[4]
Schlossbach accompanied anAustralian research expedition to Ellsworth Station Antarctica in 1955, for which he received a letter of commendation from the Australian government.
In 1956, Admiral Byrd selected Ike as his personal representative onOperation Deep Freeze. Schlossbach accompanied Byrd on several other occasions and made his last trip to the Antarctic as a consultant to theUnited States Navy in 1961 when he was 70 years old.
He was awarded threeCongressional medals for his contributions to Antarctic exploration.
Before World War II, Schlossbach founded theAsbury Park Air Terminal, originally known as Schlossbach Field (also known as Gibson Air Academy).
His adventures took him around the world, to theSouth Pacific,New Zealand,Australia, thePhilippines,South America as well as to the Arctic and Antarctica. He never married and died in 1984 at the age of 93.
| Years | Age | Activity – Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1891–1911 | 0–19 | Growing up –Neptune City |
| 1911–1915 | 20–24 | Midshipman –United States Naval Academy,Annapolis, Maryland |
| 1915–1921 | 23–29 | US Navy Submarine Service –World War I –Mediterranean Sea |
| 1921-192x | 30-x | Naval Aviator – Aircraft carrierUSS Langley |
| 192x-1930 | x-38 | Faculty – United States Naval Academy |
| 1930–1931 | 39–40 | Wilkins Trans-Arctic Expedition –Nautilus – Arctic |
| 1932 | 40–41 | |
| 1933–1935 | 41–44 | Byrd's Second Antarctic Expedition – Antarctica |
| 1936 | 45 | Schlossbach Field |
| 1936–1938 | 46–47 | MacGregor Arctic ExpeditionEtah,Greenland |
| 1939–1940 | 48–50 | United States Antarctic Service Expedition (Byrd's Third Expedition) – Antarctica |
| 1941 | Ungava Bay Expedition –Canada | |
| 1942-194x | 51-x | United States Navy –World War II –Guadalcanal |
| 1946–1948 | 55–57 | Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition – Antarctica |
| 1949–1954 | 58–63 | Asbury Park Air Terminal |
| 1955 | 64 | Australian National Research Expedition – Antarctica |
| 1956–1957 | 65–66 | Operation Deep Freeze I – Antarctica |
| 1957–1958 | International Weddell Sea Expedition – Antarctica | |
| 1957–1958 | 66–67 | International Geophysical Year (Operation Deep Freeze II) – Antarctica |
| 1958–1959 | 68–69 | Operation Deep Freeze – Antarctica |
| 1960–1961 | 70 | Consultant to US Navy in Antarctica (Operation Deep Freeze V) – Antarctica |
| 1962–1984 | 71–93 | Retirement |
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