Oral History Interview Control Form 

Name of Interviewee: Capt Charles A. Burroughs (Age 66)

Name of Interviewer: Brian Shoemaker

Date of Interview: 31 October 2001

Place of Interview: Burroughs home, Rockville, MD

Number of Tapes: 2(3 sides)

Restrictions: No

Cataloged: No

Transcribed: No 

Abstract of Contents: Capt Burroughs was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey upon graduation from the University of Connecticut in 1958 and was immediately sent to Alaska aboard the R/V Explorer a small hydrographic survey ship. Later he was assigned to the Bering Sea aboard the R/V Pathfinder where they surveyed ports along the Alaskan Coast including Dutch Harbor. 

He attended graduate school (Major in Geodetic Science) from 1962-63 at Ohio State. He then worked in triangulation fieldwork in the Arctic including the establishment of the first Coast and Geodetic satellite triangulation system in the Arctic at Cambridge Bay in 1964 during the winter. He discusses his experiences while there and also talks about the remains of the M/V Maud, Amundsen's ship that rests in shallow water just offshore.

In 1965 Capt Burroughs was instrumental in the establishment of four more satellite triangulation stations on St. Lawrence Island, Shemya Island, Pt. Barrow and Cold Bay. These were important accomplishments because they laid the groundwork for more accurate photographic mapping systems of the Arctic Basin. 

After the C&GS was rolled into ESSA and finally NOAA he was given Command of the NOAA Ship Fairweather during 1973-74 where he made modern hydrographic surveys of the Cook Inlet and Glacier Bay Alaska (utilizing satellite positioning systems). From then until he retired in 1985 he held a number of staff and administrative positions in NOAA Headquarters including Chief of Staff to the Director of the NOAA Corps.  

This was short, but good interview. As an aside it should be noted that Capt Burroughs is still involved with mapping and has been an officer of numerous mapping societies including President of the Washington Map Society, Editor of the PORTOLAN the Society magazine, and Secretary of the US Coast and Geodetic Society. He is an authority on The U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-42, commanded by Lt Charles Wilkes that made significant discoveries of the Antarctic coastline. He had written a chapter in the Book Magnificent Voyages, The U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-42, Smithsonian 1985. The book details the relationship between the expedition and the fledgling Smithsonian and the perseverance of Admiral Wilkes who for 40 years attended to the curation of the expedition collections.