Richard E. Byrd

Richard E. Byrd was a naval aviator and explorer of both the Arctic and Antarctica who became famous in 1926 as the first man credited with flying to the North Pole. During World War I (1914–1918), he conducted antisubmarine patrols in the North Atlantic and became a pioneer in navigating long distances, both on water and in the air. His brother was Harry Flood Byrd Sr., who served as governor (1926–1930), U.S. senator (1933–1965), and head of the Byrd Organization, a statewide political machine.