The position of ice patrol officer was field by Lt. William J. Zinck, 

 USCG until 29 April when he was relieved by Lt. (jg) Sam Pisicchio, 

 USCG Avho held the position until the end of the season. Lt. Rufus 

 S. Drury, USCG and Lt. (jg) Vance K. RancUe, USCG were ice ob- 

 servers participating in aeriaf reconnaissance flights. Because of lack 

 of personnel no observers were placed on board the ice patrol cutters 

 this year. The planning and execution of the oceanographic program 

 were in the hands of Oceanographer Flo^'d M. Soule who was assisted 

 in oceanographic work by Lt. Leroy A. Cheney, USCG. 



A brief summary of the 1950 season is as follows: Aerial reconnais- 

 sance began 22 February. The fu'st of the regularl}" scheduled ice 

 bulletins was broadcast at 1318 G. C. T. on 6 March and at the same 

 time three-liom"ly ship reports were requested. Bergs tlu-eatened 

 shipping on track C in March and a recommendation was made that 

 track C be shifted to track B prior to 11 April. This shift was made 

 on 24 March. The continuous ice patrol was inaugurated bv the 

 Acushriet on 27 March. The 5 ice patrols were made by the Acushnet 

 24 March-19 April, 2-20 May, 3-10 Jime, and by the Tampa 16 April- 

 5 May, 18 May-5 June. Aerial reconnaissance was concluded on 26 

 June which date was the official termination date of ice patrol activ- 

 ities for the 1950 season. 



On their various patrols the ice patrol cutters have noticed that 

 many vessels do not submit four hourly reports when in the area. 

 Mariners are lu-ged to make these reports if it is at all possible both 

 in the interest of their o^vn safety as well as for the greater safety of 

 all which results from a better informed ice patrol. In the 1950 season 

 296 ships made reports to the ice patrol. The percentages of vessels 

 representing the different nationalities were as follows: 38 percent 

 British, 17 percent United States, 12 percent Norwegian, and the 

 remainmg 26 percent were divided between Sweden, Canada, Panama, 

 Denmark, France, Netherlands, Greece, Portugal, Italy, Iceland, 

 Ireland, Finland, Liberia, Turkey, and Poland. 



AERIAL ICE RECONNAISSANCE 



Again this year two winterized PBlG (fl3"ing fortress) planes were 

 available for ice observation tlu-oughout the entire season. The use 

 of aircraft has proven a valuable aid in ice patrol work. Total plane 

 hours for this season was 589.6. Distribution of plane hours for the 

 various months is shown in figure 1. 



A total of 75 ice observation flights was made by the 2 aircraft plus 

 3 postseason flights when 1 berg tlu-eatened track C between 15 and 

 23 July. 



Individual flights varied in duration from 1.5 to 11 hours. The 

 average flight for the season was 7.8 hom-s. Assmning an average 

 ground speed of 150 knots for PBlG au'craft, the total distance flown 

 in the 1950 season was 88,440 miles. Flight courses are usually laid 



