Today, we celebrate and congratulate H. Ross Perot Jr. on the honor of carrying the historic Explorers Club Flag over the North Pole in commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s groundbreaking May 9, 1926 flight over the Arctic.
Joining the flight were four members of the Byrd family, continuing the legacy of one of aviation and exploration’s most historic achievements:
- Emerson E. Byrd, LTC USAF Ret.
- Matthew E. Byrd, LTC USAF Ret.
- Mattie Byrd Kotlik, Major US Army
- Mary Byrd, RN
Ross Perot Jr. is no stranger to aviation history himself. In 1982, he became the first person to complete a global circumnavigation by helicopter during the legendary Spirit of Texas flight, cementing his place among the world’s great modern explorers and aviators.
The Explorers Club represents some of history’s most remarkable achievements in exploration, with members including the first explorers to reach the North Pole, South Pole, the summit of Mount Everest, the deepest points of the oceans, and even the Moon.
Today, both the Spirit of Texas and Admiral Byrd’s Antarctic expedition aircraft stand side-by-side as exhibits at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, connecting two generations of pioneering aviation history.
This commemorative flight serves as a powerful reminder that the spirit of exploration, innovation, and adventure continues to inspire new generations around the world.
