▁from ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁to ▁October ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁had ▁four ▁main ▁object ives : ▁To ▁collect ▁weather ▁data ; ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁magnetic ▁survey ; ▁to ▁photograph ▁the ▁aur ora ▁bore alis ▁and ▁study ▁its ▁effects ▁upon ▁radio ▁transmission ; ▁and ▁to ▁explore ▁the ▁area ▁north west ▁of ▁Ell es m ere ▁Island , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁clear ▁up ▁the ▁questions ▁about ▁Cro cker ▁Land , ▁which ▁Robert ▁Pe ary ▁placed ▁on ▁the ▁map ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 0 ▁years ▁earlier . ▁ ▁Pre par ation ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁a ▁three - m ast , ▁t ern ▁sch oon er , ▁Donald ▁II , ▁was ▁purchased ▁in ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁and ▁brought ▁to ▁Port ▁New ark , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁where ▁new ▁mot ors ▁were ▁installed ▁and ▁the ▁ship ▁rein for ced ▁and ▁re condition ed ▁for ▁the ▁expedition . ▁It ▁was ▁re ch rist ened ▁the ▁Gen . ▁A . ▁W . ▁Gre ely ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁in ▁honor ▁of ▁Ad olph us ▁Gre ely , ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁ill - f ated ▁Lady ▁Franklin ▁Bay ▁Ex ped ition ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁and ▁ 1 8 8 2 . ▁ ▁All ▁expedition ▁members ▁paid ▁their ▁own ▁way ▁either ▁by ▁supp lying ▁necessary ▁equipment ▁or ▁c ash . ▁There ▁were ▁originally ▁eleven ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁expedition : ▁Cl iff ord ▁J