Military Geology Branch of the U.S. Geological Survey from 1945 to 1972

Abstract

After World War II, the Military Geology Unit of the U.S. Geological Survey was transformed into the Military Geology Branch, which recruited about 150 younger scientists over time to continue the compilation of terrain intelligence on a global scale. Source materials were the scientific journals, books, maps, and photographs available in the Washington area, and most topics were presented on maps accompanied by succinct tables and short narrative texts. The following principal administrative units and research programs evolved: (1) Strategic Studies Section (1945–1972; funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and later by the Defense Intelligence Agency) was the major production unit. Its principal responsibility was to contribute to the comprehensive small-scale National Intelligence Surveys Program. Another significant section effort included the Pacific Engineer Intelligence Program, which involved the compilation in Washington of seven series of 1:250,000-scale thematic maps for most of Southeast Asia. (2) Pacific Field Program (1945–1962; Corps of Engineers) was a research and mapping program in areas formerly occupied by Japan. (3) Alaska Terrain and Permafrost Section (1947–1965; Corps of Engineers and U.S. Geological Survey) conducted field studies on surficial geology and permafrost phenomena in Alaska and other Arctic areas and compiled reports with maps and engineering interpretations, most at a 1:250,000 scale of Alaska. (4) European Field Program, principally undertaken by the U.S.G.S. Team (Europe) (1953–1964; U.S. Army Europe), published a series of 24 1:250,000-scale maps of military engineering geology for western Germany and 131 1:100,000-scale maps of cross-country movement for all of Germany, and the team served as a consultant. (5) Austere Landing-Site Program (1956–1970; U.S. Air Force) compiled large-scale studies on arid lands, both inside and outside the United States and on Arctic ice-free land. (6) Special Intelligence Element (established 1959; Corps of Engineers and Defense Intelligence Agency) continues to serve as geoscientific consultants to the special intelligence community. (7) Nuclear-Test Detection Program (principally 1962–1972; Advanced Research Projects Agency) compiled studies assisting in the interpretation of global seismic signals, particularly the five-volume 1:5,000,000-scale Atlas of Asia and Eastern Europe.

Hydrogeological support to United States military operations, 1917–2010

“…Continuing the efforts of the MGU during World War II, detailed geological and water-supply studies were conducted on several Pacific islands formerly held by the Japanese. From 1946 to 1962, the Pacific Geological Mapping Program created numerous reports on 11 island groups in the Pacific (Terman 1998a). The first island studied in the spring of 1946 was Okinawa because it was designated as the location for a major US military base (Whitmore 2001).…”

“…After 1972, only one MGB programme, the Special Intelligence Element funded by the Defense Intelligence Agency, continued to operate. Most of its work was classified and not published in the open literature (Terman 1998a). However, USGS hydrogeologists from other branches continued to make contributions in support of military operations after most of the MGB was eliminated.…”

“…The focus of the MGB changed from a mission of preparing terrain analysis reports for pending military operations to one of projects with a more strategic scope. The major MGB programmes of the Cold War era included strategic studies, the Pacific Field Program, Alaska terrain and permafrost, the European Field Program, austere landing sites, special intelligence, and nuclear-test detection (Terman 1998a). The extent to which hydrogeology was incorporated varied widely by programme, and in several cases water resources were not a major area of emphasis.…”