George John Dufek | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | February 10, 1903 Rockford, Illinois |
| Died | February 10, 1977 (aged 74) Bethesda, Maryland |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1921–1959 |
| Rank |  Rear Admiral |
| Commands | USS Bogue USS Antietam |
| Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (2) Croix de Guerre Légion d'honneur |
| Other work | Director, Mariners' Museum, Newport News, Virginia |
George John Dufek (10 February 1903, Rockford, Illinois – 10 February 1977, Bethesda, Maryland[1]) was an American naval officer, naval aviator, and polar expert. He served in World War II and the Korean War and in the 1940s and 1950s spent much of his career in the Antarctic, first with Admiral Byrd and later as supervisor of U.S. programs in the South Polar regions. Rear Admiral Dufek was the director of the Mariners' Museum[2] in Newport News, Virginia after his retirement from the Navy in 1959.