Charles Snead Houston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Snead Houston
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| Born | August 24, 1913 |
| Died | September 27, 2009 (aged 96) |
| Education | Harvard College; Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons |
| Occupation | Physician; Mountaineer; Scientist; Peace Corps Administrator |
| Spouse(s) | Dorcas Laidley Tiemeyer (m. 1941) |
| Children | 2 daughter Dorcas, Penny, and two sons David and Robin. |
| Parent(s) | Oscar Rempel Houston and Nelly Snead MacDonald |
Charles Snead Houston (born August 24, 1913 – died September 27, 2009) was an amazing American who did many things. He was a doctor, a brave mountain climber, and even an inventor. He also helped lead the Peace Corps. He is famous for trying to climb the very tough mountain K2 two times.
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Early Life and Learning
Charles Houston was born in New York City in 1913. He grew up in a place called Great Neck on Long Island. He went to The Hotchkiss School and then to Harvard University. Later, he became a doctor after studying at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Adventures in Mountain Climbing
Charles Houston started climbing mountains in the Alps with his father. There, they met a famous Scottish climber, T. Graham Brown. Houston gained more experience on trips to Canada and America. In 1934, he made the second climb of Mount Foraker.
Reaching New Heights
In 1936, Houston joined a team that climbed Nanda Devi in India. This was the highest mountain ever climbed at that time. In 1938, he led the first American trip to K2. K2 is one of the world's tallest and toughest mountains. His team found a path to the top. This path was later used by the first climbers to reach K2's summit in 1954.
In 1950, Houston and his friend H.W. Tilman explored the Khumbu Glacier near Mount Everest. They were among the first Westerners allowed into Nepal. They checked out the Khumbu Icefall to see if it was a good way to climb Everest. They were the first to see the higher parts of Everest from Khumbu. This is the path Sir Edmund Hillary later took for the first successful climb of Everest.
The Famous K2 Rescue
Houston tried to climb K2 again in 1953. During this trip, a team member named Art Gilkey got very sick. The team decided to stop climbing and try to carry Gilkey down the mountain.
Then, something incredible happened. Several climbers fell, and their ropes got tangled. Most of the team started sliding down the mountain. But one climber, Pete Schoening, managed to stop everyone's fall. He used his ice axe to hold them all in place. This amazing rescue is known as "The Belay" and is one of the most famous moments in climbing history.
After this K2 trip, Charles Houston, who was 40 years old, stopped doing very difficult technical climbs.
Medical Work and Research
Charles Houston worked as a doctor in New Hampshire and Colorado. Later, he became a professor at the University of Vermont. He taught medicine there until he retired in 1979.
Studying High Altitudes
During World War II, Houston was a flight surgeon for the navy. He started studying how high altitudes affect people. In 1947, he led "Operation Everest." In this study, people were placed in a special chamber. They slowly went to a "simulated" altitude of 8,850 meters (like being on Mount Everest). This showed that pilots could fly planes without special pressure to very high altitudes. This gave the US Army Air Force a big advantage.
Houston was also one of the first to study serious altitude sicknesses. He wrote many books and articles about mountain medicine. He also helped organize important meetings about hypoxia, which is when your body doesn't get enough oxygen.
In 1996, he received the King Albert Medal of Merit. This award honored his amazing achievements in the world of mountains.
Inventing an Artificial Heart
Charles Houston also worked on early ideas for an artificial heart. Even though his design wasn't fully successful, it helped other inventors. His ideas influenced later designs, like the Jarvik-7 model.
Helping Others with the Peace Corps
From 1962 to 1965, Charles Houston was the first leader of the Peace Corps in India. The Peace Corps is a group where Americans volunteer to help people in other countries. When he started, there were only 6 volunteers in India. By the time he left, there were 250! He also helped create a special group of doctors within the Peace Corps.
