Interview of Harley D. Nygren by Brian Shoemaker
The media can be accessed here: http://streaming.osu.edu/knowledgebank/byrd/oral_history/Harley_Nygren.mp3 The interview with Admiral Nygren was short, but very informative. He was the founder and organizer of the NOAA Corps and became its first Director when it was formed. He served in this capacit...
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Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program
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ftohiostateu:oai:kb.osu.edu:1811/38816 2023-05-15T13:09:13+02:00 Interview of Harley D. Nygren by Brian Shoemaker Nygren, Harley D. Shoemaker, Brian 2009-08-18 Audio Duration: 01:24:58 application/pdf audio/x-mpeg http://hdl.handle.net/1811/38816 en_US eng Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program 1 audio tapes available in the OSU Archives Polar Oral History Program Record Group Number: 56.107 http://hdl.handle.net/1811/38816 Restrictions: This item is not restricted. Arctic regions -- Discovery and exploration -- Interviews United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- History Nygren Harley D. -- Interviews Transcript Recording, oral 2009 ftohiostateu 2023-01-30T18:45:05Z The media can be accessed here: http://streaming.osu.edu/knowledgebank/byrd/oral_history/Harley_Nygren.mp3 The interview with Admiral Nygren was short, but very informative. He was the founder and organizer of the NOAA Corps and became its first Director when it was formed. He served in this capacity from 1971 to 1981 and reported to four Presidents – Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan. His early career, however, found him on duty in the Arctic where he was assigned for three years to the Arctic Field Party of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. He was also assigned as United States Representative on the British Antarctic Survey Expedition of 1962 and was a member of the U.S. Inspection Team to Antarctica in 1970. He retired in 1981 with 36 years active service. He was well prepared for the interview with a written resume that is in his file. This interviewers tape recorder failed as the interview began and Admiral Nygren dug one from his basement that, after some tinkering, worked fine on this interview and several other interviews in the following week. The following is pertinent: 1. During WWII (1942) he joined the Navy and was assigned to the Navy College Training Program and earned his commission and B.S. in 1945. 2. In September 1947 he joined the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. 3. He was trained as an Astronomic Observer in 1948 4. In 1949 he was assigned to the USCGS Arctic Field Party. His party surveyed the coastline and the near offshore from Point Lay to Barter Island – this is where he cut his scientific teeth. This was the first accurate survey of the Alaska North Slope coastline. The maps that resulted from the survey are still in use today. The work began in January each year and proceeded until September. This cycle went on for three years. 5. The work was immediately useful to the Navy who needed the information to sail inside the Barrier Island chain off the North Slope of Alaska. 6. He recounts the excitement and trials that were endured. He notes that they employed 50 Inupiat who were invaluable ... Audio Alaska North Slope Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Arctic Barter Island British Antarctic Survey Inupiat north slope Alaska Ohio State University (OSU): Knowledge Bank Antarctic Arctic Barrier Island ENVELOPE(78.396,78.396,-68.431,-68.431) Byrd Nygren ENVELOPE(25.125,25.125,70.314,70.314) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Ohio State University (OSU): Knowledge Bank |
op_collection_id |
ftohiostateu |
language |
English |
topic |
Arctic regions -- Discovery and exploration -- Interviews United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- History Nygren Harley D. -- Interviews |
spellingShingle |
Arctic regions -- Discovery and exploration -- Interviews United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- History Nygren Harley D. -- Interviews Nygren, Harley D. Interview of Harley D. Nygren by Brian Shoemaker |
topic_facet |
Arctic regions -- Discovery and exploration -- Interviews United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- History Nygren Harley D. -- Interviews |
description |
The media can be accessed here: http://streaming.osu.edu/knowledgebank/byrd/oral_history/Harley_Nygren.mp3 The interview with Admiral Nygren was short, but very informative. He was the founder and organizer of the NOAA Corps and became its first Director when it was formed. He served in this capacity from 1971 to 1981 and reported to four Presidents – Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan. His early career, however, found him on duty in the Arctic where he was assigned for three years to the Arctic Field Party of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. He was also assigned as United States Representative on the British Antarctic Survey Expedition of 1962 and was a member of the U.S. Inspection Team to Antarctica in 1970. He retired in 1981 with 36 years active service. He was well prepared for the interview with a written resume that is in his file. This interviewers tape recorder failed as the interview began and Admiral Nygren dug one from his basement that, after some tinkering, worked fine on this interview and several other interviews in the following week. The following is pertinent: 1. During WWII (1942) he joined the Navy and was assigned to the Navy College Training Program and earned his commission and B.S. in 1945. 2. In September 1947 he joined the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. 3. He was trained as an Astronomic Observer in 1948 4. In 1949 he was assigned to the USCGS Arctic Field Party. His party surveyed the coastline and the near offshore from Point Lay to Barter Island – this is where he cut his scientific teeth. This was the first accurate survey of the Alaska North Slope coastline. The maps that resulted from the survey are still in use today. The work began in January each year and proceeded until September. This cycle went on for three years. 5. The work was immediately useful to the Navy who needed the information to sail inside the Barrier Island chain off the North Slope of Alaska. 6. He recounts the excitement and trials that were endured. He notes that they employed 50 Inupiat who were invaluable ... |
author2 |
Shoemaker, Brian |
format |
Audio |
author |
Nygren, Harley D. |
author_facet |
Nygren, Harley D. |
author_sort |
Nygren, Harley D. |
title |
Interview of Harley D. Nygren by Brian Shoemaker |
title_short |
Interview of Harley D. Nygren by Brian Shoemaker |
title_full |
Interview of Harley D. Nygren by Brian Shoemaker |
title_fullStr |
Interview of Harley D. Nygren by Brian Shoemaker |
title_full_unstemmed |
Interview of Harley D. Nygren by Brian Shoemaker |
title_sort |
interview of harley d. nygren by brian shoemaker |
publisher |
Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/1811/38816 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(78.396,78.396,-68.431,-68.431) ENVELOPE(25.125,25.125,70.314,70.314) |
geographic |
Antarctic Arctic Barrier Island Byrd Nygren |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Arctic Barrier Island Byrd Nygren |
genre |
Alaska North Slope Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Arctic Barter Island British Antarctic Survey Inupiat north slope Alaska |
genre_facet |
Alaska North Slope Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Arctic Barter Island British Antarctic Survey Inupiat north slope Alaska |
op_relation |
1 audio tapes available in the OSU Archives Polar Oral History Program Record Group Number: 56.107 http://hdl.handle.net/1811/38816 |
op_rights |
Restrictions: This item is not restricted. |
_version_ |
1766167503684239360 |