Captain V. Ralph Sobieralski,
Acting Associate Director, Geodesy and Photogrammetry, began 
his
career with the government more than 34 years ago. He received
a degree in civil engineering from Syracuse University in 1931,
and worked for the Forest Service, the Coast and Geodetic Survey,
and the Soil Conservation Service as a civil service employee
from 1934 until he entered the Coast and Geodetic Survey commissioned
corps in 1941. He was then assigned to sea duty on various ships
and early in 1945 was transferred to the Army for service in Europe.
After Captain Sobieralski returned to the Survey in 1946 his
assignments included duty aboard several ships, on the Arctic
field party and a geodetic field party, and the Pacific tide
program. He was Chief of the Portland, Oregon Photogrammetric
Office in 1956-1958, and District Officer in Tampa, Florida
in 1961-1964. He was Commanding Officer of the HYDROGRAPHER
and then the SURVEYOR until he was transferred to Rockville
as Chief of the Photogrammetry Division in November 1966.
Captain Sobieralski is a member of several professional organizations.
He and Mrs. Sobieralski will live in Tampa, Florida.
March
11, 1909 - August 21, 1986
Captain V. Ralph Sobieralski was born March 11, 1909, in Brooklyn,
New York. He graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor
of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. He was appointed as
a Deck Officer on June 9, 1941, and commissioned as an Ensign
on March 28, 1942.
During his 30-year career, Captain Sobieralski served aboard
the LYDONIA, MARINDIN, OGDEN, MITCHELL, and GILBERT, EXPLORER,
PATHFINDER, PIONEER, SURVEYOR, as Commanding Officer and the
HYDROGRAPHER as Commanding Officer. His other assignments included
coast pilot, survey officer, triangulation and launch hydrography,
chief of geodesy parties, maintained Pacific tide stations,
the Tampa District Office, the Seattle Regional Office and at
the time of his retirement on December 1, 1968, as Chief, Photogrammetry
Division in Washington, D.C.
He served as a member of the Army Infantry Reserve from June
1, 1931, until May 31, 1941. On January 8, 1945, Captain Sobieralski
was transferred to the jurisdiction of the War Department to
serve the Field Artillery. He was first sent to the Field Artillery
School at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, and then assigned to a Field Artillery
Observation Battalion. He returned to the U.S. Coast and Geodetic
Survey on January 17, 1946.
During his service with the Army, he was awarded the European
African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one Bronze Battle
Star, the World War II Victory Medal, the Army Occupation Medal
with Germany Clasp, and the Atlantic and Pacific War Zone Ribbons.
Captain Sobieralski is survived by his wife, Ann M., and one
son, Stephen V. Sobieralski.
ESSA CORPS BULLETIN, 12/2/1968
NOAA CORPS BULLETIN, 9/1/1986
