➡️ Admiral Richard E. Byrd was affiliated with multiple Masonic lodges over his lifetime, including Federal Lodge No. 1 in Washington, D.C., where he was raised as a Master Mason in 1921, and Kane Lodge No. 454 in New York, which he affiliated with in 1928.

However, during his 1933–1935 Antarctic expedition, he helped establish Antarctic Lodge No. 777 under the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, where a majority of the expedition members (60 out of 82) were Freemasons.

This lodge's symbolism was heavily penguin-themed, leading to its informal nickname of "Penguin Lodge."

Byrd's documented claims from his Antarctic expeditions (1928–1930, 1933–1935, 1939–1941, and 1946–1947's Operation Highjump) focused on geographical and scientific discoveries. He reported mapping vast new territories, identifying mountain ranges, lakes, and coastlines; discovering significant coal deposits capable of supplying the world for centuries; and highlighting Antarctica's untapped mineral resources and strategic value as a testing ground for cold-weather technology.

He also claimed to be the first to fly over the South Pole in 1929 and emphasized the continent's potential for scientific research.

However, posthumous and controversial attributions—often tied to conspiracy theories—allege that Byrd's private diary described flying into a "hollow Earth" entrance during a 1947 flight beyond the North Pole (mislabeled as Antarctic in some accounts), where he encountered advanced civilizations, lush landscapes, woolly mammoths, and UFO-like craft from an inner world called "Agartha."

These claims also include sightings of unexplained phenomena during Operation Highjump, such as battles with advanced aircraft or retreats due to superior forces.

Archival reviews and fact-checks find no evidence Byrd made these statements publicly or in verified documents during his lifetime; the "diary" surfaced after his 1957 death and is widely considered a hoax or fabrication by hollow Earth proponents.

Byrd's expeditions were pivotal in shifting Antarctic exploration from sail-and-sledge heroism to a mechanized, aviation-driven era, mapping over 2 million square miles and establishing permanent U.S. bases like Little America, which spurred international scientific interest and led to the 1959 Antarctic Treaty.

They highlighted the continent's resource potential and strategic role amid emerging Cold War tensions, influencing U.S. polar policy and global environmental research.

In fringe contexts, the alleged claims fuel theories about hidden realms, government cover-ups, and extraterrestrial or ancient advanced societies, inspiring discussions on flat/hollow Earth models and Antarctic secrecy.
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