REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD E. BYRD - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 01/20/1932 - HFSID 87369

RICHARD E. BYRD
The famed polar explorer signs a letter to "Bim", discussing future lectures, and profit made from past lectures
Typed letter signed: "Dick", in black ink, 1 page, 8½x11. Boston, Massachusetts. January 20, 1932. In full: "My dear Bim: I suggest you let the matter of the Winchester lecture rest as Arthur and I discussed it, i.e., we would get whatever (profit) was made and that you and I would make a contribution to charity without any agreement ahead of time as to how much it would be - to be decided by a conference between Arthur, my brother and myself. Is that all alright? Sincerely yours". On May 9, 1926, Richard Evelyn Byrd (1888-1957) and Floyd Bennett became the first to fly over the North Pole. Both were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Scholars have raised questions about whether or not Byrd actually reached the North Pole but all have agreed Byrd thought he had reached the North Pole. In 1929,Byrd established the "Little America" Antarctica base and flew (indisputably) over the South Pole. He was promoted to Rear Admiral upon his return in 1930. On his Antarctic expeditions in the 1930s, Byrd discovered Marie Byrd Land and the Edsel Ford Mountains. Still exploring in his late 60s, he commanded the Operation High Jump (1946-1947) and Operation Deep Freeze (1955-1956) operations. JAMES B. POND ("Bim"), who had become the nation's premier lecture agent, had established his agency in New York in 1879. In addition to Byrd, his notable clients included Mark Twain, P.T. Barnum, Thomas Nast, James Whitcomb Riley, Henry Stanley and Booker T. Washington. Normal mailing folds. Crease in center of page. Fine condition.