Lieutenant Max O. Witherbee, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, retired January 1, 1940, died January 26, 1979.

Lieutenant Witherbee, from Denver, Colorado, received his degree in Civil Engineering from Colorado Agriculture College in 1916. He joined the Coast and Geodetic Survey as a Deck Officer in 1916. His 23-year career in the Coast and Geodetic Survey included duty aboard 13 vessels, serving four tours of duty on one of them and two tours of duty on two of them. During World War I Lieutenant Witherbee was transferred to the U.S. Army and saw service in France with an Anti-Aircraft Artillery Unit.

He was granted a Chief Mate's license, any tonnage, oceans, in 1928 from the Department of Commerce's Steam Boat Inspection Service.

His career included various field party assignments which took him to many sections of the United States, and the Philippine Islands. He participated in various fathometer experiments and early fathometer surveys. He was serving in the Washington Office at the time of his retirement.

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NOAA CORPS BULLETIN, 3/1/1979