Philip
C. Doran,
Chief, Geodesy Division, retired from active duty of January
31, 1956, after 
nearly
33 years of service in the Coast and Geodetic Survey. Captain
Doran was born on December 30, 1901, in Meriden, Connecticut.
Following his graduation from Yale University, with the degree
of Bachelor of Science in civil engineering, in June 1923,
he entered on duty in the Coast and Geodetic Survey on August
1, 1923. His first assignment was with a traverse party in
northern Minnesota. After serving 2 years with triangulation
parties he was assigned as Officer-in-Charge of a party working
the 49th parallel.
Thirteen years of his long career were spent aboard the Ships
MARINDUQUE (Executive Officer in 1928), EXPLORER, DISCOVERER,
and SURVEYOR engaged on hydrographic surveying operations
in the Philippine Islands, Alaska, and along the Gulf Coast.
In 1941, Captain Doran was assigned to the Seattle Processing
Office as Officer in Charge, and in March 1942 during World
War II he was transferred by Executive Order to the U.S. Army
Air Force where he served for 5 years in Labrador, South America,
and China. For his outstanding service with the Air Force
he was awarded the LEGION OF MERIT.
His other assignments in the Bureau included Chief of a leveling
party in Missouri; combined operations in Long Island Sound;
liaison duty with the Inter-American Geodetic Survey in South
America, and triangulation and trilateration in Alaska. On
November 1, 1952, Captain Doran was assigned to the Washington
Office as Assistant Chief, Geodesy Division and subsequently
was appointed Chief of Geodesy Division, the position he held
at the time of his retirement.
Captain Doran is a member of the American Congress on Surveying
and Mapping, American Geophysical Union, Society of American
Military Engineers, and Naval Institute. He has presented
a number of papers on geodetic work before various scientific
organizations. Captain Doran is leaving for Australia, where
he will be engaged for 2 years on a triangulation project
for a private firm. Since there is no datum in the area where
he will be working, he plans to establish his own datum. Mrs.
Doran and their children Carter and Karen will join Captain
Doran at a later date.
The
Buzzard, 2/9/1956
Captain Philip C, Doran died
of a heart attack on June 4, 1969, in Seattle Washington.
Captain Doran, who was 67, retired in 1956 after serving with
the Coast and Geodetic Survey for nearly 33 years. He was
born in Connecticut and entered on duty with the Survey upon
being graduated from Yale University in 1923.
His early
assignments were with geodetic field parties, and he was chief
of the geodesy division when he retired. He served on several
Coast and Geodetic Survey ships over a period of 13 years
in the Philippines, along the Gulf Coast and in Alaskan waters.
Captain
Doran was transferred to the Army Air Force in March of 1942
and saw service in Labrador, South America, and China before
he returned to the Coast and Geodetic Survey. He was awarded
the Legion of Merit for outstanding service.
Assignments
after returning to the Survey included liaison duty with the
Inter American Geodetic Survey in South America. Captain Doran
became assistant chief of the geodesy division in 1952, and
later chief of that division. After retiring, he worked in
Australia, New York, and Libya for a private firm, then helped
establish the Department of Geodesy in North Carolina. He
also served in South Korea as an advisor in their hydrographic
office and was involved in a mapping project in Thailand for
a short time. He and Mrs. Doran then moved to Seattle. Survivors
include Mrs. Doran and a son and daughter.
ESSA Corps Bulletin, 7/1/1969
