Military Geology Unit
Encyclopedia
The Military Geology Unit was a unit in the United States military during World War II
. It was established on June 24, 1942, six months after Pearl Harbor. People in the US Geological Survey wanted to get involved in the war effort, either for patriotism or prestige or both, and provided a geological intelligence report for a randomly chosen country, Sierra Leone
.
The report described the terrain, locations of water supplies and road-building materials, and other obviously useful facts. The military bought the idea and so the Military Geological Unit was formed, starting out with six people but quickly expanding.
and chemical examination of the sand from the sandbags to determine types and distribution of diatom
s and other microscopic sea creatures, and its mineral
composition. The sand could not be coming from American beaches, nor from the mid-Pacific. It had to be coming from Japan.
Ultimately the geologist
s determined the precise beaches in Japan the sand had been taken from. By this time, it was mostly irrelevant, since by early spring the balloon offensive was almost over.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was established on June 24, 1942, six months after Pearl Harbor. People in the US Geological Survey wanted to get involved in the war effort, either for patriotism or prestige or both, and provided a geological intelligence report for a randomly chosen country, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
.
The report described the terrain, locations of water supplies and road-building materials, and other obviously useful facts. The military bought the idea and so the Military Geological Unit was formed, starting out with six people but quickly expanding.
Staff
The entire Military Geology Unit wartime roster was 88 geologists, 11 soil scientists, 6 bibliographers, 5 engineers, 3 editors, 1 forestor and 43 assisting staff.Origin of Balloon Bombs
The Military Geology Unit was key in determining the origin of the Japanese balloon bombs. Working with Colonel Sidman Poole of US Army Intelligence, the researchers of the Military Geological Unit began microscopicMicroscope
A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy...
and chemical examination of the sand from the sandbags to determine types and distribution of diatom
Diatom
Diatoms are a major group of algae, and are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Most diatoms are unicellular, although they can exist as colonies in the shape of filaments or ribbons , fans , zigzags , or stellate colonies . Diatoms are producers within the food chain...
s and other microscopic sea creatures, and its mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
composition. The sand could not be coming from American beaches, nor from the mid-Pacific. It had to be coming from Japan.
Ultimately the geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
s determined the precise beaches in Japan the sand had been taken from. By this time, it was mostly irrelevant, since by early spring the balloon offensive was almost over.