USS Burton Island Icebreaker

The U.S. Navy icebreaker Burton Island embarks on a historic voyage through the Northwest Passage, previously impassable via the McClure Strait. This joint U.S.-Canadian expedition aims to study Arctic ice breakup for military research and offers a shorter route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The journey encounters challenges such as thick ice packs, which are overcome by dynamiting. The expedition concludes with a rendezvous with the Coast Guard icebreaker North Wind, highlighting the strategic importance of strengthening U.S.-Canadian continental defenses.

What was the primary purpose of the U.S. Navy icebreaker Burton Island's voyage?

• To rescue stranded ships

• To explore new trade routes

• To study ice breakup for military research

• To conduct a wildlife survey

What was the only sign of life encountered during the expedition?

• Penguins

• Walruses

• Seals

• Polar bears

How did the expedition overcome the thick ice packs?

• By using icebreakers

• By dynamiting the ice

• By waiting for the ice to melt

• By using helicopters

What role did helicopters play in the expedition?

• They filmed the journey

• They rescued crew members

• They conducted reconnaissance runs

• They transported supplies

What was the strategic significance of the Arctic trip?

• It mapped uncharted territories

• It discovered new wildlife species

• It strengthened U.S.-Canadian continental defenses

• It established a new trade route