MARINE SCIENCE 145 
STATEMENT OF RICHARD H. FLEMING, PROFESSOR OF OCEANOG- 
RAPHY AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
OCEANOGRAPHY, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE, 
WASH. 
Dr. Fremine. I am Richard H. Fleming, Professor of Oceanog- 
raphy and Executive Officer of the Department of Oceanography at 
the University of Washington, Seattle, Wash. 
I speak to you today with a background of 30 years’ experience in 
oceanography. Since my days as a graduate student at Seripps In- 
stitution of Oceanography, I have seen the science grow from a mere 
handful of research investigators, with less than a dozen graduate 
students in the entire country, to its present level of vigor. The re- 
port of the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council 
Committee on Oceanography has effectively demonstrated that even 
the existing level of effort in the United States falls far below that 
required to meet the ever-mounting demands for better understanding 
of the oceans to satisfy the needs of our country in military security, 
resources, and scientific knowledge. I am honored to have this oppor- 
tunity to appear before you in support of the “Marine Sciences and 
Research Act of 1961.” 
I speak to you as an educator who, from his own experience, knows 
the complex nature of the ocean and who recognizes the urgent need 
for major efforts in the education of the young men and young women 
who must carry on the basic research, surveys, and applied investiga- 
tions that are envisaged in your bill. I speak to you asa scientist who 
realizes the deficiencies in his own training and who hopes that his 
students will be better equipped than he in knowledge about the sea, 
in the theories, and in the techniques of research that will enable them 
to truly comprehend the nature of the ocean and its role in the future 
of our planet. My remarks will be limited to oceanography and I 
will leave it to those who are better qualified to describe the needs in 
other aspects of the marine sciences. 
During World War II, I was called upon to direct the oceanogia- 
phic program carried on by the University of California Division of 
War Research at San Diego. During the early years, the efforts of 
this and other laboratories were primarily concerned with the criti- 
cal problems of antisubmarine warfare. The important role of the 
oceanogaphic-conditions in this and other types of military opera- 
tions was soon recognized and the demands for oceanographers quickly 
exhausted the pitifully small supply of trained personnel. The lab- 
oratories and agencies concerned with the military applications of 
oceanography called upon the services of our colleagues in related 
fields of science and upon young students without previous experi- 
ence in oceanography. These individuals attacked their assignments 
with zeal and imagination and notable advances were made in many 
of the military problems. However, it was all too obvious that the 
on-the-job training was not efficient and that the lack of oceanographic 
background of the personnel made it difficult to attack the new prob- 
lems that arose during the course of the war. It was apparent that 
the United States needed an adequate reservoir of professionally com- 
petent marine scientists and full credit must be given to the Office of 
Naval Research and to other branches of the Federal Government for 
