I. INTRODUCTION 



Ao Purpose 



The winter and spring 1955 operations by the USCGC NORTHhTDTO 

 (WAGB-282) and the USS BURTON ISUND (AGB-1) were confined to the 

 Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. Collection of oceanographic data 

 was a primary objective essential to sound propagation studies andj> 

 at higher latitudes, to ice studies and ice forecasting, the latter 

 data being essential to the support of high latitude operations during 

 suiraner 1955o Special ice-edge studies required the ships to pass in 

 and out of the ice along the ice boundary. A Joint Air Force-Navy 

 project for the photographic identification of sea ice required taking 

 photographs from the ship and from reconnaissance aircraft simultane- 

 ously* 



In addition to the oceanographic survey program, hydrographic and 

 geophysical sxirveys were completed, and a research project on the 

 physics of sea ice was conducted by the Navy Electronics Laboratory, 



Be Suinmary of Oceanographic Operations 



1. USCGC NOETHWIND - 18 February to 27 April 1955 



The NORTHWIND departed San Diego on 18 February 1955 and arrived 

 at Kodiak 26 February, Two oceanographers from the Hydrographic Office 

 were aboard. On 27 February, four scientists from the U, S, Navy 

 Electronics Laboratory and a geophysicist from the Hydrographic Office 

 reported on boards Final arrangements for the Joint Air Force -Navy sea- 

 ice photographic project were completed on 1 March« On 2 March the 

 NORTHWIND departed Kodiak enroute to the Bering Sea via Unimak Pass. 



It was originally planned that the ship woxild proceed to the ice 

 edge in the vicinity of the International Date Line and occupy oceano« 

 graphic stations along a course that penetrated into and out of the ice. 

 However, as high winds and heavy seas were present when the NORTHWIND 

 entered the Bering Sea, it was decided to work the line of ice pene- 

 tration stations from the eastern end so that the ship would enter the 

 ice pack sooner and thus Minimize excessive rolling. 



Oceanogr^hic station 1 was occupied on 5 March Just Inside the 

 edge of the ice pack (Fig, 1), Station 2 was occupied on 6 March when 

 it was necessary for the ship to heave to while repairing the engines. 

 Stations 3 and U were made on 7 March after considerable manexxvering to 

 clear ice for the casts. 



Date of oceanographic station occupation referred to local mean tijne. 

 Date recorded on oceanographic station data tabulation in the Appendix 

 is referenced on Greenvrich mean tune. 



