Early Years

1908-1928

1908 


Born in Montpelier, Ohio on December 18 to Clyde L. Siple and Fannie Hope Allman Siple

1918


Moved with family to Erie, Pennsylvania in April

1920


Joined Boy Scout Troop No. 24

1923


Earned Eagle Scout rank and joined Sea Scouts, attaining rank of Able Sea Scout. He eventually became “Mate” of the Sea Scout ship Niagara on his 21st birthday

1920-28


Earned 59 merit badges at time of application in July 1928 for Byrd Antarctic Expedition–this was almost all the badges available at the time; Eventually earned a total of 61 badges

1926


Graduated from Erie’s Central High School in June

1926-27


Worked as assistant draftsman with Pennsylvania State Highway Department to earn money for college

1927-28


Freshman year at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania

1928


Selected in a nationwide competition as the Boy Scout to accompany USN Commander Richard E. Byrd on the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition

 

 

Exploration Years

1928-1939

1928-1930


Departed from New York Harbor on City of New York on first Byrd Antarctic Expedition on August 25, 1928.
Selected by Byrd to winter over in Antarctica; worked as naturalist, dog team driver, taxidermist, and collected specimens (skins) of seals, penguins, and flying birds for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City

1930


Returned home in June.
1930-32
Returned to Allegheny College in Meadville, PA in Sept. 1930 completing his last three years in two; graduated in June 1932 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Geology

1930-1933


Lectured on tours, sometimes with Admiral Byrd, to various Councils of Boy Scouts of America and other service organizations

1931


Published Boy Scout with Byrd (Putnam)

1932


Published Exploring at Home (Putnam)

1932-33


Backpacked on “world” tour to England, Europe (including Russia), Asia Minor, and North Africa

1933


Selected for Byrd Antarctic Expedition II and assisted Byrd with expedition planning and preparation

1933-35


Byrd Antarctic Expedition II

Served as member of Byrd’s personal staff

Acted as Chief Biologist


Leader of Marie Byrd Land Sledging Party, collecting lichens and mosses and mapping 30,000 square miles of new territory

1935


Identified and cataloged lichens and mosses collected on BAE II.

Discovered 84 new species of lichens and 5 new species of mosses (published material in Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, vol.25, April 1938)

1935-36


Provided hundreds of lectures to scientific and public service groups, colleges, schools, and Boy Scout audiences throughout the United States

1936


Published Scout to Explorer (Putnam)

1936


Enrolled in graduate program at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, specializing in Geography and the study of “the effects of geographical conditions on humans and their possessions,” in September

1936


Married Ruth Ida Johannesmeyer on December 29

1939


Earned Ph.D. in Geography and Climatology from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts; dissertation entitled: Adaptations of the Explorer to the Climate of Antarctica, June

1939-41


United States Antarctic Service Expedition, Assistant to Admiral Richard E. Byrd

Supervisor of supplies and equipment and responsible for all expedition logistics

Senior geographer

Leader of West Base, Little America III, Bay of Whales

Served as navigator on all Antarctic exploratory flights

Conducted experiments (with Charles Passel) which resulted in devising the formula for the wind chill index which was published in Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, vol. 89, 1945

1940


Daughter Ann Byrd Siple born June 6

 

 

War Years

1941-1948

1941-42


Employed by U.S. Army as civilian expert on design of cold climate clothing and equipment and as head of research and map projects

Commissioned as captain in U.S. Army, July 1942.

1941-45


During World War II served as military geographer for U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps

Advised the government and directed research on clothing and environmental protection of troops in all climates

Organized the U.S. Quartermaster Corps’ Climate Research Laboratory and was responsible for the initiation of new design of cold weather gear (especially the cold weather parka and thermal-barrier boot)—for all of which he was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal

1942


Daughter Jane Paulette Siple born October 11

1945-46


Traveled to Arctic and Greenland for observation and research, as this area was of interest to national defense with the onset of the Cold War

1946


Daughter Mary Cathrin Siple born October 26

1946-47


Little America IV, Antarctica where he served as Scientific and Polar Advisor and Senior Representative of U.S. War Dept. on a naval operation called United States Navy Antarctic Development Program (AKA Operation High Jump), Dec. 1946 – April 1947

1946-53


Discharged from military as Lieutenant Colonel, August 1946


Joined U.S. Army General Staff in civilian capacity as military geographer and science adviser for research and development, directing the Army’s environmental
 research program, eventually becoming a specialist in polar, alpine (mountain), desert, and humid (tropical) climates

1947


Received Boy Scouts of America Silver Buffalo Award “for distinguished service to boyhood” on May 28

 

 

Polar Scientist Years

1948-1958

1950-53


During Korean War studied winter combat problems and traveled to the battle lines twice to observe the effectiveness of newly designed military clothing

1953-55

Director of Scientific Projects and Environmental Living for USN Task Force 43, in preparation for Operation Deep Freeze I (which would set up in Antarctica, amongst other programs, McMurdo Station as a support base for the South Pole Station and Little America V as a support base for Byrd Station), all of which was preparation for Deep Freeze II, IGY itself (International Geophysical Year set to run from July 1957 to Dec. 1958–a year in which 67 countries would conduct coordinated research world-wide, including 11 nations manning 40 stations in Antarctica)

1955-56


Operation Deep Freeze I in Antarctica

Served as Deputy to Admiral Byrd, Director of U.S. Antarctic Programs and Scientific Adviser for Operation Deep Freeze I

1956


Appeared on the cover of Time Magazine (December 31). Corresponding article covered the anticipated first winter that men would experience the six months of complete darkness, from March 22 to Sept. 22, at the South Pole

1956-57


Deep Freeze II, IGY, and the initial year of operation of the IGY Geographical Pole Station (Amundsen-Scott Station)


Scientific Leader of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station during IGY—this was the first group to winter-over at the South Pole. Eighteen men would be the first to experience the six months of the blustery sub-zero sunless South Polar nights

1957-58


National Geographic Magazine featured articles by Paul Siple about the first IGY South Pole experience (July 1957 and April 1958)

 

 

Leadership & Awards Years

1958-1968

1957-60


Received the prestigious National Geographic Hubbard Medal in March for his leadership role in the heroic and successful first wintering at the South Pole

Medals also awarded from the U.S. Army, U.S. Defense Dept., three other Geographical societies, five of his seven honorary doctorate degrees, and more for this accomplishment

1958


Awarded the “National Distinguished Service Award, Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America,” the highest award for distinguished service, on May 17, 1958

1958-63


Scientific Adviser, U.S. Army Research Office


Continuing environmental research

1959


Published 90 Degrees South (Putnam)

1961


Awarded American Specialist Grant by State Department for a three-month goodwill trip to Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, and India under the Department’s cultural 
exchange program

1963-66


Served as the first Scientific Attaché to the U.S. Embassies in Canberra, Australia and Wellington, New Zealand

1966


Suffered stroke in Wellington, New Zealand on June 6 and returned home to Virginia in September

Returned to work with Army Research and Development as Special Scientific Adviser in November

1968


Died of a heart attack at his office desk on November 25—would have been 60 on December 18

ADDITIONAL HONORS (partial list)

Seven honorary doctorate degrees


Medals from five geographical societies; three American and two international


Three Congressional Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medals


Legion of Merit, 1946


M.B.E., Order of the British Empire, 1946


Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service, Dept. of the Army, December 1957


Distinguished Service Award, Dept. of Defense, April 1958


Superior Honor Award, Dept. of State, December 1966


Paul A. Siple Award, a silver medallion to be awarded biennially for excellence in basic research to a U.S. Army in-house laboratory scientist or a team of researchers

Antarctic landmarks named in his honor: Mount Siple, Siple Island, Siple Ridge, Siple Coast (by New Zealand), and Siple Station