Harley D. Nygren

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Harley D. Nygren
USC&GS Surveyor (OSS 32)
NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps
Battles/warsWorld War II
Cold War
Awards

Rear Admiral Harley Dean Nygren (December 12, 1924 – November 17, 2019) was an American military officer who served in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps, its successor, the Environmental Science Services Administration Corps (ESSA Corps), and the ESSA Corps's successor, the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps
(NOAA Corps). He served as the first Director of the NOAA Corps.

During his career, Nygren served on numerous

survey ships of the Coast and Geodetic Survey fleet, seeing service as far north as the Arctic and as far south as Antarctica. He also participated in many of the negotiations that resulted in the creation of the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA) and its successor, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
.

Early life

Harley D. Nygren was born in

United States Government as a laborer in a United States Army
warehouse.

United States Naval Reserve

The

commissioned as an ensign in the Naval Reserve.[2]

Nygren served as

atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll later that year. He then returned to Seattle, where he was assigned to the Submarine Battalion of the Organized Reserve while he spent a year pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Washington. He received the degree in 1947.[1][2][4]

Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps, ESSA Corps, and NOAA Corps career

Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps

Nygren's photograph of himself while working with a U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey field party on the Alaska North Slope in the winter of 1950.
USC&GS Pathfinder (OSS 30)
in 1953.

Leaving the Naval Reserve, Nygren began his career in the

tank landing ships (LSTs) as it voyaged along the Alaska North Slope.[3][5]

Leaving the Arctic Field Party in 1952, Nygren became

operations officer.[5]

In 1954, Nygren left Pathfinder for over three years of duty as head of a Coast and Geodetic Survey Division of

North Pacific Ocean, conducting surveys that kept her almost constantly underway between Hawaii and Alaska for 30-day stretches of time. Pioneer discovered a number of seamounts during Nygren's tour.[5]

In January 1962, after his tour aboard Pioneer ended, Nygren was originally scheduled for a tour in

South Georgia Island, and the Falklands (or Malvinas).[5]

Nygren then returned to the United States for duty as Assistant Chief of the Coast and Geodetic Survey's planning staff in 1962, and in 1964 he became the Chief of the planning staff.

United States Government scientific organization, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA).[5]

ESSA Corps

USC&GS Surveyor (OSS 32) conducting helicopter operations in the Bering Sea. Nygren was her commanding officer
in 1968.

On 13 July 1965, ESSA was created. Under the reorganization that created ESSA, both the Coast and Geodetic Survey and the

Environmental Science Services Administration Corps (ESSA Corps). As of that date, Nygren became an officer of the new ESSA Corps. Under the reorganization, he also became Deputy Director and Chief Planning Analyst for Service Programs in the Office of Planning and Program Evaluation.[1][4]

By August 1966, Nygren was a

United States West Coast before returning to the Bering Sea, where she conducted operations as far north as Cape Prince of Wales. Promoted to the permanent rank of captain while in command of Surveyor, he turned over command of her to his successor in August 1968 in Nome, Alaska.[1][4][5]

Promoted to rear admiral, Nygren became Associate Administrator of ESSA in October 1968. In his new position, he became involved in the organization of the new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).[5]

Director, NOAA Corps

On 3 October 1970, ESSA was abolished and replaced by NOAA. Under the reorganization that accompanied the creation of NOAA, the Coast and Geodetic Survey was abolished and its functions were transferred to various parts of the new NOAA organization. The ESSA Corps became the new

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps), and Nygren became a NOAA Corps officer. On 27 October 1970, he became Acting Director of the NOAA Corps, and the United States Senate confirmed President Richard Nixon's appointment of him to this position on 19 February 1971, making him the first Director of the NOAA Corps.[4]

As NOAA Corps director, Nygren represented NOAA on multidisciplinary projects, commissions, and task forces, usually involving maritime issues. He participated in a demonstration project testing methods for operating in ice to extend the navigation season on the

International Hydrographic Bureau in Monaco, and the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.[5]

In 1972, under Nygren's direction, the NOAA Corps became the first of the seven uniformed services of the United States to recruit women on the same basis as men.[6] He also directed the expansion of the NOAA Corps training program and arranged for it to be located at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York.[7]

After over ten years as NOAA Corps director, Nygren retired on 1 January 1981.[8]

Professional life

In retirement, Nygren poses before the photograph he took of himself while working with a Coast and Geodetic Survey field party on the Alaska North Slope in the winter of 1950.

Nygren was a prolific photographer during his Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps, ESSA Corps, and NOAA Corps career, and the NOAA Photo Library includes many photographs credited to him.[2]

Nygren was a member of the Marine Technology Society.[9]

Awards

In a ceremony on 21 October 1975 in Washington, D.C., Nygren was awarded the Department of Commerce Gold Medal while serving as the Director of the NOAA Corps.[10] [7] The program for the award ceremony cited his achievements as follows:

Rear Admiral Nygren has provided distinguished direction to the NOAA Corps through outstanding professional competence and leadership. His highly effective guidance, insight, and management are directly responsible for the necessary expansion, development, and adaptation of the Corps to best serve the public interest and to support the diverse missions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department. His success in meeting the program needs of NOAA is evidenced by an ever-increasing demand for officer assignments by all of its major entities. He was mostly responsible for the expansion of the NOAA Corps training program and for its location at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York. Studies for personnel analysis and evaluation which he initiated resulted in increased strength and stability of the Corps. Rear Admiral Nygren has given special attention to the concerns of minority groups, including the commissioning of women into the Corps to serve in the field on an equal basis with men.[7]

Nygren received the

NOAA Unit Citation Award, and commendations from the United States Navy and the United States Air Force during his career.[2]

Death

Nygren died on 17 November 2019 at the age of 94.[11]

Commemoration

Mount Nygren on Kyiv Peninsula in western Graham Land on Antarctica at 65°9′S 63°48′W / 65.150°S 63.800°W / -65.150; -63.800 ("Mount Nygren") is named for Nygren.[9]

Nygren Canyon, an underwater canyon in the Atlantic Ocean along the continental shelf of North America about 150 miles off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, at 40°39′N 66°30′W / 40.650°N 66.500°W / 40.650; -66.500 ("Nygren Canyon") also is named for Nygren.[9][12][13]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Harley D. Nygren.
  1. ^ a b c d e f g docs.lib.noaa.gov Anonymous, "Nygren is Named Associate Administrator; Jones Succeeds Tison in Coast Survey," ESSA World, October 1968, p. 32.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h NOAA Photo Library: Meet the Photographers: Rear Admiral Harley D. Nygren, NOAA (retired)
  3. ^ a b c kb.osu.edu The Ohio State University Knowledge Bank: Interview of Harley D. Nygren by Brian Shoemaker, issue date August 18, 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Anonymous, "R. M. White Becomes NOAA Administrator As President Names Five to Top Positions," NOAA, Vol. 1, No. 2, April 1971, pp. 58, 59.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k The Ohio State University Knowledge Bank: Transcript of interview with Rear Admiral Harley Nygren, 1 November 2001, Brian Shoemaker, Interviewer
  6. ^ noaa.gov NOAA History: NOAA Legacy Time Line 1970–2000
  7. ^ a b c Program of the 27th Annual Honor Awards, United States Department of Commerce, October 21, 1975: Exceptional Service Awards: Gold Medal
  8. ^ NOAA History: Profiles in Time: C&GS Biographies: Harley D. Nygren
  9. ^ a b c Marine Technology Society: Biographies of MTS-Member Admirals, p. 2.
  10. ^ NOAA History: Department of Commerce Medal Recipients 1971–1980: 1975
  11. ^ Dolasinski, Amanda, "Rear Adm. Harley Nygren, First Director of NOAA Corps, Dies at 94," moaa.org, November 20, 2019 Accessed January 4, 2020
  12. ^ newenglandoceanodyssey.org Nygren Canyon
  13. ^ geographic.org Geographical Names: Nygren Canyon: Undersea Features
Military offices
Preceded by
none
 Director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Commissioned Officer Corps
1970–1981 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harley_D._Nygren&oldid=1207625032"