Captain I. E. Rittenberg
A native Bostonian received his degree in civil engineering
at Tufts College in 1923. Immediately following his graduation
he entered the Coast and Geodetic Survey where he has made progressive
advancement from Ensign to his present rank of Captain.
During his 33 years in the Bureau Ritt, has served in various
phases of the Survey's work, both in the field and in the office.
Field assignments have included surveys along the Atlantic and
Pacific Coasts of the United States, the Philippine Islands
and Alaska, on various vessels, some of which are no longer
in our service such as the BACHE, GUIDE, FATHOMER, DERICKSON,
and the old PIONEER, and on others still in our fleet.
Throughout his career he has made important contributions in
the field of hydrographic and geodetic surveying. In 1943 he
received a commendation from the Commandant of the 5th Naval
District for valuable services in connection with wire-drag
operations in locating and charting a sunken vessel which was
a hazard to shipping in the Norfolk area. During October 1936,
he rendered valuable service in locating by wire-drag a sunken
transport airliner of the Standard Oil Company of California,
which had crashed in Great Salt Lake, Utah.
While all through his service Captain Rittenburg has served
in an outstanding manner and has always successfully met any
operational problem which has confronted him, his high quality
of performance has reached its climax since his appointment
as the Bureau's first Assistant Director for Administration.
He was selected for his assignment because of his familiarity
with all phases of our Bureau's operations and his demonstrated
ability in administrative matters. The many difficulties naturally
associated with the establishment of a new position of such
key importance were overcome with ease and dispatch. He has
been most effective in budget, personnel and management matters,
some of which entail frequent liaison with the Bureau of the
Budget on technical and operational aspects of the Bureau.
Captain
Isidor Edward Rittenburg - February 5, 1901 - September 11, 1982.
Captain
Rittenburg was born in Boston, Massachusetts on February 5,
1901. After receiving a degree in civil engineering at Tufts
College in 1923, he immediately entered on duty with the Coast
and Geodetic Survey. He was appointed as Deck Officer on June
25, 1923, and served initially on a nautical charting operation
in Maine, followed by orientation in Washington, D.C. He was
commissioned as an Ensign on February 25, 1924. He devoted his
entire professional career to the Survey where he advanced from
Ensign to Captain, retiring with 36 years of service in 1959.
His 36-year
career included assignments to the following ships: BACHE, PIONEER
(first as 2nd officer and later as Executive Officer in the
Aleutian Islands); FATHOMER, PATHFINDER GILBERT as Executive
Officer and Commanding Officer; and GUIDE as Executive Officer.
He served as Command Officer aboard the MITCHELL and OGDEN,
COWIE, WAINWRIGHT, and the DERICKSON in the Aleutian Islands.
His shore and field party assignments included current surveys
in Alaska, tides and currents party on the East Coast, and chief
of party for both currents and hydrographic surveys in New York
Harbor. His Washington, D.C. assignments included Junior Officer
in the Division of Coastal Survey; Chief of the Nautical Chart
Branch; Assistant Chief, Division of Coastal Surveys; and at
the time of his retirement (August 1, 1959), he served 7 years
in the Office of the Director as Assistant Director for Administration.
Captain
Rittenburg rendered valuable service by employing wire-drag
methods tolocate a sunken transport airliner of the Standard
Oil Company of California, which had crashed in Great Salt Lake,
Utah, during October 1936. Hereceived a Certificate of Service,
World War II, for honorable service during the period April
14, 1942 to September 1, 1945, and was awarded the Atlantic
Zone Ribbon. In 1956 he was presented the Commerce Meritorious
Service Award.
He was
the author of various technical articles based upon his field
experiences and was a member of Phi Epsilon Pi, the Institute
of Navigation, and the American Congress of Surveying and Mapping.
Captain
Rittenburg had led an active retired life. He never seemed to
tire of working for the Corps. Many of us remember his intense
interest in "H.R. 212" of 1970. The eventual passage of this
legislation, which provided veterans benefits as well as other
rights for NOAA Corps Officers, was due to his considerable
effort on behalf of the Association of Commissioned Officers.
His testimony in support of the Corps, its proud heritage, and
its relation to the military in the past, was entered in the
Congressional Record and provides a new appreciation for those
who have preceded us. He was a member of the Cosmos Club; National
Association for Uniformed Services, Past Commander of Montgomery
County Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars; Life
Member of the Retired Officers' Association; Canyon Lodge No.
13, F.& M. Midvale, Utah; Keystone Royal Arch Chapter 32, Hyattsville,
Maryland, and Past President of Bethesda Chapter No. 445, National
Sojourners Inc. (Member in Perpetuity).
He was
predeceased by his wife, Mable R. in 1966, and is survived by
his son, John G., of Roswell, Georgia, and four grandchildren.
THE
BUZZARD, 2/1956
NOAA CORPS BULLETIN, 10/1/1982
