Delivery of diesel fuel
Philip K Swartz - 1960-61 - South Pole Station - Antarcticans Database Project more

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The vast majority of fuel was air dropped by USAF cargo planes, pallets of 4 drums of fuel with a small stabilizing chute attached, and then we would retrieve them and bring to the station. Much of the fuel could be stored in barrels already placed in the station tunnel-ways by pumping from the retrieved barrels. During the winter, much of the outside diesel would freeze, and when needed to refill supplies within the station it would be hauled by tractor to the outlying garage building (which was heated, separate from the station by about ¼ mile) where it wold be thawed, then hauled to the station and pumped into the storage barrels. From there it was pumped as needed to small end-use barrels at each building. All this transfer of fuel was with a small pump system ending in a long hose with a nozzle similar to a gas station; made for a very messy procedure with much spillage of diesel on our clothes.
Reportedly, in 1960, diesel delivered to the Pole was $5 to $10 a gallon; our year we used 125,000 gallons.

Pictures from Philip K Swartz, overwinter, South Pole, 60-61