Admiral Peary Discovers The Pole

Originally Aired: April 7, 1937 Cavalcade of America #77, "Admiral Peary Discovers The Pole," dramatizes the relentless pursuit of Arctic explorer Robert E. Peary as he dedicates 23 years of his life to reaching the North Pole. The story begins with Peary's first Arctic expedition in 1886, when a devastating blizzard nearly claims his life and that of his guide during an attempt to cross Greenland. Despite this early failure, the young Navy officer makes a fateful vow in that howling storm: someday, he will conquer the pole. Through the following years, Peary faces heartbreaking setbacks, including a harrowing separation from his wife and infant daughter Marie, the first white child born in the far north. As the expedition continues, Peary and his loyal companions Matt Henson and Hugh Lee battle starvation when their food cache vanishes beneath the ice caps. Later, wintering at their base camp, crew members like Bob Bartlett anxiously await Peary's return from Fort Conger as the commander pushes ever northward through the long Arctic night, driven by stubborn determination to achieve his dream despite repeated failures.