THK WAR YEARS 



During World War II the Navy vigorously pursued oceanographic research to meet vital 

 defense needs. Turning to the private and academic institutions tor the scientitlc expertise 

 required, the significant contributions resulting were to include improved oceanographic 

 instruments, bottom sediment charts, studies that improved the maintenance of trim on 

 submarines, long-range weather forecasts, evaluation of beach information \\n amphibious 

 landings, development of submarine detection equipment and sonar operators' manuals for the 

 Fleet, indentitlcation of the deep scattering layer, and underwater sound aiul explosive 

 phenomena. 



The urgent need for extensive hydrographic surveys, especially in the Pacific, saw the 

 enlistment of a varied lot of converted ships: the old subtender Buslmell (renamed Sumner): the 

 Grace Lines cargo-passenger ship S. S. Santa Inez (renamed Bowditeli) which replaced the 

 Hannibal: the private schooners Effie M. Monissey and Bowdnin: the famed I'-'^-foot sailing ship 

 Bear, of the Greeley Relief Expedition and Rear Admiral Byrd's Antarctic Expeditions; the 

 136-foot motor minesweepers Chauvenet . Harkness. James M. Gilliss and Simon Newcomb: the 

 136-foot subchasers John Blish. Armisiead Rust, l.itllehales and Dutton: and the three '■'cS-foot, 

 steel-hull, auxiliary patrol craft YP 41. 42 and 56 which operated with the Bowditch. Six of the 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey's major ships were ordered to duty with the Navy: the Guide, 

 Discoverer, and Pioneer which were former Navy minesweepers transferred to the Survey after 

 World War I: the Oceanograplier which was the former S3.0 million luxury yacht Corsair II built in 

 1897 for J. P. Morgan and acquired by the Survey in 1930; and the Hydrograpiier and the 

 Pathfinder which were built by the Survey in 1931 and 1942. respectively. These ships had their 

 days in battle, often under fire acquiring the data needed to take our fighting ships deeper into 

 encniy-held waters. At Tarawa, the Sumner was under Japanese air attack for 26 out of 30 days as 

 she struggled to update the only available charts of that island, which were nearly 100 years old. 

 At Iwo Jima. the Sunnier again was under attack when she added a nearly forgotten hydrographic 

 footnote to history. As the fighting raged on and the enemy lobbed shells at the Sumner, the 

 hydrographers went about their jobs of surveying - setting up one of their triangulation markers 

 alongside the now famous tlag raised by the Marines on Mount Suribachi! At Okinawa, the 

 Bowditeli conducted survey operations hand-in-hand with fighting. Almost daily the guns of the 

 Bowditeli answered the attacks by enemy planes and, in all, some 264 general quarters were 

 sounded and four Japanese planes downed, one by the YP 41. The Hydrograpiier operated with 

 Army assault forces in the Aleutians sounding out safe anchorages and ship lanes for attack 

 transports and other auxiliaries. Also assigned to survey operations in the western Pacific, the 

 Hydrograpiier fought off frequent raids by the enemy while operating in the Palaus and one night 

 destroyed a three-man assault team which sought to blow-up the ship while it lay at anchor in the 

 harbor. The Pathfinder was also attacked by Kamikaze planes at Okinawa, one of which crashed 

 into a gun platform, killing one man and setting a fire which was extinguished without serious 

 damage to the vessel. 



The Coast and Geodetic Survey retained jurisdiction over their remaining ships, all of which 

 participated in the war effort. The ships - Surveyor and Explorer, built for the Survey in 1917 

 and 1939, respectively; Derickson. a former Navy patrol craft; Lester Jones and Patton, two 

 88-foot hydrographic survey and wire drag vessels; and the 77-foot survey launch Westdalil - were 

 engaged primarily in surveys of the Aleutian Islands and of the Alaska Peninsula. These surveys. 

 accomplished at the request of various branches of the Army and Navy, included wire dragging of 

 areas for deep submergence tests of submarines, hydrographic surveys of special anchorages for 

 naval use, and surveys used for laying of submarine nets. Several of these ships were provided with 

 armament furnished and installed by the Navy and in many instances these ships were used for 

 emergency convoy duty. 



Ill 



388-301 O - 71 - 9 



