During October 1963, Stanly County native John M. Herrin was serving in the military with the 62nd Transportation Detachment. He was stationed at Byrd Station that was a United States base in Antarctica. During the time he was there, a geological crew of scientists from the University of Minnesota was doing survey work in the Heritage Range of mountains. Herrin was one of several pilots who shuttled them around the area to do their work. A part of the project involved the scientists identifying and naming peaks and other landmarks in the area. A number of places were named for things connected to the university, but the scientists also named several landmarks after the men of the 62nd who had been helping them. Herrin Peak {5,760 feet} that is located on the east side of Gowan Glacier was named for Stanly County’s own John Herrin. {Lewis Bramlett – Stanly County Historical Society}