Military Geology Unit

Military Geology Unit
Military Geology Unit
Active 1942-1945
Country United States
Branch United States Geological Survey
Role Terrain Intelligence

The Military Geology Unit was a unit in the United States military during World War II. It was established on June 24, 1942, six months after Pearl Harbor.[1] People in the US Geological Survey wanted to get involved in the war effort, either for patriotism or prestige or both, and provided a geological intelligence report for a randomly chosen country, Sierra Leone.

The report described the terrain, locations of water supplies and road-building materials, and other obviously useful facts. The military bought the idea and so the Military Geological Unit was formed, starting out with six people but quickly expanding.

Contents

Staff

The entire Military Geology Unit wartime roster was 88 geologists, 11 soil scientists, 6 bibliographers, 5 engineers, 3 editors, 1 forestor and 43 assisting staff.[1]

Origin of Balloon Bombs

The Military Geology Unit was key in determining the origin of the Japanese balloon bombs.[2] Working with Colonel Sidman Poole of US Army Intelligence, the researchers of the Military Geological Unit began microscopic and chemical examination of the sand from the sandbags to determine types and distribution of diatoms and other microscopic sea creatures, and its mineral composition. The sand could not be coming from American beaches, nor from the mid-Pacific. It had to be coming from Japan.

Ultimately the geologists determined the precise beaches in Japan the sand had been taken from. By this time, it was mostly irrelevant, since by early spring the balloon offensive was almost over.

References

  1. ^ a b Terman, Maurice, 1998, Military Geology Unit of the U.S. Geological Survey during World War II. Military Geology in War and Peace. Geological Society of America. p. 49-54.
  2. ^ Mange, Maria and Wright, David, 2007, Heavy Minerals In Use. p. 954.

Bibliography

  • Bevan, Arthur. 1944. “Military Geology.” Scientific Monthly. Volume 62, 1946. Pages 466-468.
  • Bonham, Selma and Leith, William (William Stanley), 1997, Reports and maps of the Military Geology Unit, 1942-1975. Reston, Va.: U.S. Geological Survey. 116 leaves. U.S. Geological Survey open-file report; 97-175.
  • Geological Survey (U.S.). Military Geology Branch. 1945?, The Military Geology Unit: U. S. Geological Survey and Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army. “Prepared by members of the staff of the Military Geology Unit for distribution at the Pittsburgh (1945) meeting of The Geological Society of America.” No place of publication given: The Geological Society of America. 22 pages.
  • Hadden, Robert Lee. 2003. “The Heringen Collection of the US Geological Survey Library.” Session No. 94, History of Geology (GSA History of Geology Division, History of Earth Science Society [HESS]). November 3, 2003. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 35, No. 6, September 2003, p. 252.
  • Hadden, Robert Lee. 2008. "The Heringen Collection of the US Geological Survey Library, Reston, VA." Published in Earth Science History, v27 n2 p242-265, 2008. ISSN: 0736-623X.
  • Hunt, C.B. 1950. "Military Geology Unit" IN: Application of Geology to Engineering Practice. The Geological Society of America. The Charles Peter Berkey Volume. November 1950. Pages 305-325.
  • Kaye, C.A. 1957. “Military Geology in the United States Sector of the European Theater of Operations During World War II.” Geological Society of America Bulletin. Volume 68, pages 47–54.
  • Kiersch, George A., 1998, “Engineering geosciences and military operation.” Engineering Geology. 49; 2, Pages 123-176.
  • Leith, William and John R. Matzko. 1998. “Recent Activities in Military Geology at the U.S. Geological Survey,” In: Military Geology in War and Peace, 1998. Reviews in Engineering Geology, Volume 13. pages 49–55.
  • Leith, William, ed. 1997. "Reports and Maps of the Military Geology Unit, 1942-1975." US Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-175. Compiled by Selma Bonham, 1981.
  • Rose, Edward P.F. 2005. “Military Geology.” In: Selley, Richard C. et al., eds. Encyclopedia of Geology. Elsevier. Volume III, pages 474-487.
  • Simon, L.J. 1957. Additional Notes on the Use of Geologists in the European Theater of Operations During World War II.” Bulletin of the Geological Society of America. Volume 68, pages 1567-1568.
  • Snyder, C.T. 1957. The Importance of Geology in Planning the Normandy Invasion.” Geological Society of America Bulletin. Volume 68, page 1565-1566.
  • Sommers, Martin. 1945. “The Army’s Pet Prophets.” Saturday Evening Post. March 24, 1945. Volume 217, number 39, pages 18–19, 97-98.
  • Terman, Maurice J, 1998, “Military Geology Unit of the U. S. Geological Survey during World War II.” In: Military Geology in War and Peace. Reviews in Engineering Geology, Volume 13. pages 49–55.
  • Whitmore, Frank C. 1954. “Military Geology.” The Military Engineer. Volume XLVI, number 311, pages 212-215.

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