Thurston Island is an ice-covered, glacially dissected island, 215 km (134 mi) long, 90 km (56 mi) wide and 15,700 km2 (6,062 sq mi) in area, lying a short way off the northwest end of Ellsworth Land, Antarctica. It is the third-largest island of Antarctica, after Alexander Island and Berkner Island.
Operation HIGHJUMP, officially titled The United States Navy Antarctic Developments Program, 1946–1947,, was a United States Navy (USN) operation to establish the Antarctic research base Little America IV. The operation was organized by Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Jr., USN (Ret), Officer in Charge, Task Force 68, and led by Rear Admiral Ethan Erik Larson, USN, Commanding Officer, Task Force 68. Operation HIGHJUMP commenced 26 August 1946 and ended in late February 1947. Task Force 68 included 4,700 men, 70 ships, and 33 aircraft.
The Martin PBM Mariner was a twin-engine American patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War era. It was designed to complement the Consolidated PBY Catalina and PB2Y Coronado in service. A total of 1,366 PBMs were built, with the first example flying on February 18th, 1939 and the type entering service in September 1940, with the last of the type being retired in 1964.
Mount Lopez is a peak of the Walker Mountains, located 5 nautical miles (9 km) east of Landfall Peak in the western part of Thurston Island, Antarctica. It was delineated from aerial photographs taken by U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, 1946–47, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Ensign Maxwell A. Lopez of the U.S. Navy, a member of the expedition who lost his life in a seaplane crash at Thurston Island on December 30, 1946.
Ball Peninsula is a broad ice-covered peninsula on the north side of Thurston Island, Antarctica. It extends into Murphy Inlet between Noville Peninsula and Edwards Peninsula. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Lieutenant James L. Ball, PBM Mariner pilot in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, which obtained aerial photographs of this peninsula and adjacent coastal areas, 1946–47. Ball commanded the January 11, 1947, search plane which, after 12 days of uncertainty, found the burned wreck and survivors of the Mariner crash on Noville Peninsula.
Noville Peninsula is a high ice-covered peninsula about 30 nautical miles (60 km) long, between Peale and Murphy Inlets on the north side of Thurston Island in Antarctica. It was delineated from aerial photographs made by U.S. Navy Operation HIGHJUMP in December 1946, and named for George O. Noville, executive officer of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, 1933–35.
Warr Glacier is a broad glacier flowing north into the southwest arm of Murphy Inlet, Thurston Island. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) after William Warr, Aviation Machinist's Mate in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, 1946–47. Warr and five others survived the December 30, 1946 crash of a PBM Mariner seaplane on adjacent Noville Peninsula.
Jones Peninsula is an ice-covered peninsula 5 nautical miles (9 km) west of Hughes Peninsula in northwest Thurston Island, Antarctica. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Ensign Robert H. Jones, navigator and second pilot of PBM Mariner aircraft in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation HIGHJUMP, which obtained aerial photographs of this peninsula and coastal areas adjacent to Thurston Island, 1946–47.
Tribby Peak is a peak 1.5 nautical miles west of Mount Bubier on Edwards Peninsula, Thurston Island. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) after Osborne M. Tribby, the Pharmacist's Mate in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump and an aircrewman on the PBM Mariner flight to Noville Peninsula on January 11–12, 1947, in which survivors of the December 30 PBM crash were rescued and returned to the seaplane tender Pine Island.
Goff Glacier is a broad glacier flowing from Parker Peak into the head of Koether Inlet on the north side of Thurston Island, Antarctica. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Lieutenant Robert G. Goff, co-pilot of PBM Mariner aircraft in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, which obtained aerial photographs of Thurston Island and adjacent coastal areas, 1946–47.
Long Glacier is a glacier about 8 nautical miles long in the southeastern part of Thurston Island, Antarctica. It flows south to the Abbot Ice Shelf, 14 nautical miles (26 km) west of Harrison Nunatak. The glacier was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960–66, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Fred A. Long, Jr., an aviation machinist of U.S. Navy Squadron VX-6, who wintered at Little America V in 1957 and was in Antarctica in the 1960–61 and 1962–63 seasons.
Mincer Glacier is a broad glacier flowing from Zuhn Bluff into the southeast arm of Murphy Inlet on the north side of Thurston Island, Antarctica. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Lieutenant Dale F. Mincer, a co-pilot of PBM Mariner aircraft in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, which obtained aerial photographs of Thurston Island and adjacent coastal areas in 1946–47.
Litz Bluff is an ice-covered bluff 2 nautical miles (4 km) west of Mount Borgeson in the Walker Mountains, Thurston Island, Antarctica. Rock salients mark the face of the bluff. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Ensign M. Eugene Litz, navigator and second pilot of PBM Mariner aircraft in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, which obtained aerial photographs of this bluff and coastal areas adjacent to Thurston Island, 1946–47.
Mount Howell is a mountain 3 nautical miles (6 km) south-southwest of Mount Borgeson in the Walker Mountains of Thurston Island, Antarctica. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Lieutenant Commander John D. Howell, a pilot and airplane commander in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, which obtained aerial photographs of this mountain and coastal areas adjacent to Thurston Island in 1946–47. Commander Howell landed a PBM Mariner seaplane in the open water of eastern Glacier Bight on January 11, 1947 to rescue six survivors of a December 30 Mariner crash on Noville Peninsula.
Hlubeck Glacier is a glacier 9 nautical miles west of Long Glacier in southeast Thurston Island, Antarctica. It flows south along the east side of Shelton Head into the Abbot Ice Shelf. The glacier was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after aviation radioman Vernon R. Hlubeck, a PBM Mariner aircrewman in the Eastern group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, which obtained aerial photographs of Thurston Island and adjoining coastal areas, 1946–47.
The Mariner Islands are a group of rocky islands and rocks forming the north-central group of the Highjump Archipelago, bounded by Edisto Channel on the west, Gossard Channel on the south, and Remenchus Glacier on the east. They were mapped from air photos taken by U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, 1946–47, and named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names to commemorate the discovery of a large ice-free region at the west end of the Knox Coast by the crew of a Martin PBM Mariner seaplane commanded by D.E. Bunger. During photographic reconnaissance of this coastal area in January 1947, the aircraft landed on one of the inlets indenting the Bunger Hills and ground-level photographs and water samples were obtained at that time.
Hendersin Knob is an ice-covered knob rising between the heads of Craft Glacier and Rochray Glacier in the southwest part of Thurston Island, Antarctica. It was first plotted from air photos taken by U.S. Navy Operation HIGHJUMP, 1946–47, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for aviation radioman Wendell K. Hendersin, U.S. Navy, a member of the expedition who lost his life in a seaplane crash at Thurston Island on December 30, 1946.
Kearns Peninsula is a broad ice-covered peninsula between Potaka Inlet and Peale Inlet on the north side of Thurston Island, Antarctica. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Lieutenant William H. Kearns, U.S. Navy Reserve, co-pilot of the Operation Highjump PBM Mariner seaplane that crashed on adjacent Noville Peninsula, December 30, 1946. Kearns and five other survivors were rescued on January 12, 1947.
Rexford Glacier is a glacier flowing northeast into the head of Wagoner Inlet on the north side of Thurston Island. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) after Aviation Radioman Phillip W. Rexford, PBM Mariner aircrewman in the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, which obtained aerial photographs of this glacier and adjoining coastal areas, 1946–47.
Robbins Glacier is a broad glacier flowing into the head of Peale Inlet on the north side of Thurston Island. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) after Aviation Radarman James Haskin Robbins of the Eastern Group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, aircrewman in the PBM Mariner seaplane that crashed on adjacent Noville Peninsula, December 30, 1946. His energy and initiative contributed to the well-being of six survivors who were rescued Jan 12, 1947.
