The USS Jeannette: Shattered Ambitions (Part 1)
The USS Jeannette is one of the most tragic polar expeditions in maritime history.
The USS Jeannette expedition (1879–1881) is remembered as one of the most tragic and compelling stories in maritime history, blending ambition, endurance, and survival against the odds. Financed by James Gordon Bennett Jr. and undertaken by the United States Navy, the expedition aimed to reach the North Pole via the Bering Strait in search of the theorized open polar sea. Commanded by George Washington De Long, a crew of 33 men departed San Francisco in 1879, only to become trapped in Arctic pack ice shortly after entering the polar region.
For nearly two years, the Jeannette drifted helplessly across the frozen expanse before being crushed by ice in 1881, leaving the crew stranded on the drifting floes of the East Siberian Sea. What followed was a harrowing struggle for survival, as the men attempted to reach Siberia in three small boat parties after becoming separated in a violent storm. Ultimately, only 13 survived, while De Long and many others perished in the unforgiving Siberian wilderness.
The historical record was preserved through De Long’s recovered logbooks, and this story of polar exploration, shipwreck, and human endurance offers an exhaustive account of one of history’s most ill-fated Arctic expeditions.
Much of the research for this 2-part series comes from George De Long's extensive records. You can read them in their entirety here: https://archive.org/details/voyageofjeannett01delo/mode/2up
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This episode was written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. Original theme music is by Sean Sigfried.
**No AI was used during the production of this episode.**
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Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is a maritime history podcast about shipwrecks, tragic loss, and incredible accomplishments on the world's oceans and waterways.
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