Harold E. Saunders
Encyclopedia
Harold Eugene Saunders was the leading hydrodynamicist in the United States
in the mid 20th century. He is best known for the 3-volume book, Hydrodynamics in Ship Design.
, eventually as Captain. He spent much of his career at the Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Navy yard, engaged in submarine
design and construction. In 1927-28 he was salvage officer in charge of raising the submarine S-4 which sank off Cape Cod
following a collision. For this work he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
.
Saunders was a member of the first and second Byrd expeditions to Antarctica, serving as geographer
. The Saunders Ice Shelf, Saunders Coast and Saunders Mountain are named for him.
Saunders was very good friends with Admiral Byrd and was nicknamed "Savvy Saunders" (source: signed copy of "Alone" by Admiral Byrd)
During World War II
Saunders directed construction of the experimental model basin at the Naval Postgraduate School
, Annapolis. It was a state-of-the-art facility, until closed in the 1990s.
Saunders is still often cited as an authoritative source on the resistance and propulsion of ships, especially naval ships. A number of his published works appear in the list of references in the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers's Principles of Naval Architecture. The American Society of Naval Engineers
presents the annual Harold E. Saunders award in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the mid 20th century. He is best known for the 3-volume book, Hydrodynamics in Ship Design.
Naval career and design work
Saunders had a career in the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, eventually as Captain. He spent much of his career at the Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
Navy yard, engaged in submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
design and construction. In 1927-28 he was salvage officer in charge of raising the submarine S-4 which sank off Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
following a collision. For this work he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
.
Saunders was a member of the first and second Byrd expeditions to Antarctica, serving as geographer
Geographer
A geographer is a scholar whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society.Although geographers are historically known as people who make maps, map making is actually the field of study of cartography, a subset of geography...
. The Saunders Ice Shelf, Saunders Coast and Saunders Mountain are named for him.
Saunders was very good friends with Admiral Byrd and was nicknamed "Savvy Saunders" (source: signed copy of "Alone" by Admiral Byrd)
During World War II
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...
Saunders directed construction of the experimental model basin at the Naval Postgraduate School
Naval Postgraduate School
The Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...
, Annapolis. It was a state-of-the-art facility, until closed in the 1990s.
Saunders is still often cited as an authoritative source on the resistance and propulsion of ships, especially naval ships. A number of his published works appear in the list of references in the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers's Principles of Naval Architecture. The American Society of Naval Engineers
American Society of Naval Engineers
The American Society of Naval Engineers is a professional association of American naval engineers. Naval Engineering includes all arts and sciences as applied in the research, development, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and logistic support of surface and subsurface ships and...
presents the annual Harold E. Saunders award in his honor.
Publications
- "The Prediction of Speed and Power of Ships by Methods in Use at the United States Experimental Model Basin Washington", Navy Bureau of Construction and Repair, C and R Bulletin No. 7, Government Printing Office, Washington: 1933.
- Hydrodynamics in Ship Design of which the first two volumes appeared in 1957 and the third, posthumous volume, was published in 1965, by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, New York (SNAME).