WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy celebrated the 185th anniversary of Naval Oceanography and the 50th anniversary the meteorology and oceanography (METOC) designator was implemented, Dec. 4, during an award ceremony held at the U.S. Naval Observatory.
Following the opening ceremony Oceanographer of the Navy, Rear Adm. Tim Gallaudet presented the 2015 Naval Oceanography Awards. The Naval Oceanography Awards recognize Naval Oceanography professionals for their expertise, accomplishments, and leadership in the application of meteorology, oceanography, hydrography and precise time and astrometry.
The awardees are:
The Capt. Richard C. Steere Award:
Lt. Nicolaas Verhoeven, Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Center.
The Commander Mary Seas Award:
Lt. Cmdr. Douglas W. Pearman, commander, Carrier Strike Group One
Chief Aerographers Mate John R. Dungan Award:
Senior Chief Aerographers Mate Anthony Mazzulo, Fleet Weather Center San Diego
Matthew Henson Award:
Megan Hutchins, Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center
Naval Oceanography was founded in 1830, located inside a two-room house on 17th and G Streets in Northwest Washington. The depot served as the first master time reference for the Navy and as a storage facility for navigation charts and equipment. It also worked on precise time and celestial mapping and sponsored the first Naval activities in hydrographic survey, oceanography, marine meteorology and climatology and geospatial information science. That depot later became known as the U.S. Naval Observatory, as it still known today.
Naval Oceanography encompasses a wide range of missions crucial to supporting today's Naval fleet. They include oceanography, hydrography, meteorology, climate science, geospatial information science, astrometry, Earth orientation and precise time.
To learn more about the Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy visit www.Facebook.com/OfficeofTheOceanographerOfTheNavy
To learn more about the Navy's Meteorology and Oceanography Command visit www.Facebook.com/NavalOceanography