"The USCGC Healy reached the North Pole earlier this week, carrying a crew of scientists investigating environmental changes in the Arctic."

"On September 5, the US Coast Guard Cutter Healy became the first American surface ship to reach the North Pole unaccompanied.

Submarines underneath the ice typically accompany the surface ships.

"As the Arctic region continues to open up to development, the data gathered on board Healy during this cruise will become ever more essential to understanding how the scientific processes of the Arctic work, and how to most responsibly exercise stewardship over the region," said the Coast Guard in a statement."

Story Hinckley reports for the Christian Science Monitor September 9, 2015. [2]