Oscar Wisting

Oscar Adolf Wisting (June 6 1871 - December 5 1936) was a Norwegian polar explorer.

Related Topics:
June 6 - 1871 - December 5 - 1936 - Norwegian

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Together with Roald Amundsen he was the first person to reach both to the North and South Poles.

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Wisting was born in Larvik, and he was working as a naval gunner in 1909 when Roald Amundsen asked him to go north with him on his forthcoming North Pole expedition. Amundsen later secretly changed his plans. Wisting went to sea believing they where heading for the North Pole. Instead he learned that they where going south to pick up the race with Robert Falcon Scott to the South Pole.

Related Topics:
1909 - North Pole - Robert Falcon Scott - South Pole

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On December 14, 1911 along with Amundsen, Helmer Hanssen, Olav Bjaaland and Sverre Hassel, Wisting planted the Norwegian flag on the geographical South Pole, the first explorers to have reached that point.

Related Topics:
December 14 - 1911 - Helmer Hanssen - Olav Bjaaland - Sverre Hassel

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From 1918 to 1925 Wisting was chief officer onboard Maud in Roald Amundsen's attempt to traverse the Northeast passage. From 1923 to 1925 Wisting more or less acted as leader of the expedition after Amundsen left to try to fly to the pole instead.

Related Topics:
1918 - 1925 - Northeast passage

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In 1926 Wisting participated in Amundsen's successful attempt to fly over the North Pole. In the airship Norge they reached the pole on May 12, 1926. Because the three previous claims to have arrived at the North Pole -- by Frederick Cook in 1908, Robert Peary in 1909, and Richard Byrd in 1926 (just a few days before Norge) -- are all either dubious or fraudulent, Wisting and the crew of the Norge are the first verified explorers to have reached the North Pole by any means. In addition Wisting, along with Amundsen, was one of the two first persons who had been to both the North Pole and the South Pole.

Related Topics:
1926 - Airship Norge - May 12 - Frederick Cook - Robert Peary - Richard Byrd

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He later wrote about his years with Amundsen in his book: 16 aar med Roald Amundsen, (1930). (16 years with Roald Amundsen).

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In later years Oscar Wisting was an active force behind the preparations and building of the Fram house in Oslo. A museum build to store and display the polar ship Fram. On December 5, 1936 Wisting was found dead from heart attack in his old bunk on board Fram, a few

Related Topics:
Oslo - Fram - December 5 - 1936

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days before the 25 anniversary of the successful South Pole expedition.

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See Also:

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Polheim, Framheim

Related Topics:
Polheim - Framheim

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