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of weather conditions for aviation. They maintain in their air weather 

 service a weather forecasting service. These are brought together 

 within this Office of the Federal Coordinator so that overlap and 

 duplication are eliminated and you do have a coherent national pro- 

 gram in these areas. 



Mr. Lennon. Can we speak to the missions and role of the Coast 

 Guard particularly related to its ocean duty station cutters and the 

 loran stations? What is the mission and purpose of the loran stations 

 manned by the Coast Guard in areas of the world where we keep on 

 duty at all times Coast Guard cutters for the role of warning and 

 forecasting both to marine transportation and aviation? How does 

 that coordinate with what you are doing in your forecast and warn- 

 ing service for the Nation's marine existence ? You have just described 

 the difference between that and the Navy. Will you describe the dif- 

 ference between what you are doing in this field and what the Coast 

 Guard is doing in this field ? 



Dr. White. The loran system operated by the Coast Guard is a navi- 

 gational system which is used by everybody who has to operate on 

 the high seas. 



Mr. Lennon. Your ESSA does not have anything presently that 

 does the same thing. 



Dr. White. No, sir ; we do not. 



Mr. Lennon. You do not contemplate anything ? 



Dr. White. No, sir; we do not. The ocean station vessels of which 

 there are six, four in the Atlantic and two in the Pacific, were estab- 

 lished by international agreement under the International Civil 

 Aeronautics Organization. This is a program participated in not only 

 by the United States but by other countries in the Atlantic and Pacific. 

 These stations were originally used as navigation checkpoints, for air- 

 sea rescue, and many other functions. They still have multiple func- 

 tions. One of the functions of these stations and a very vital one is 

 to provide us with weather data. They take upper air soundings from 

 these ships. The personnel who take the soundings are ESSA person- 

 nel operating on board Coast Guard ships. 



Mr. Lennon. Thank you, Doctor, for that explanation. So fre- 

 quently and as recently as the consideration of the appropriation act, 

 some of the members of the Appropriations Committee raised these 

 very questions. I wanted to get it in the record. Now we will move 

 to the oceanographic vessels as such. You have how many now ? 



Dr. White. May I turn this question over to Admiral Jones, sir? 



Mr. Lennon. Thank you. 



Admiral Jones. We "have a total of 15 vessels in ESSA's fleet, of 

 which two may be considered as outstanding oceanographic research 

 vessels. 



Mr. Lennon. The other 13 are not in any degree engaged in re- 

 search regarding the marine science, or oceanology. 



Admiral Jones. No, sir the remaining 13 ships are engaged part 

 time in oceanographic research and oceanography operations. Their 

 main mission is, however, hydrographic surveys. 



Mr. Lennon. Admiral, I am sure you know in what special fields 

 the oceanography vessels of the Coast Guard are involved. And, how 

 many do they have ? 



