Naval Oceanographic Office
Logo of Naval Oceanographic Office
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 1962 |
| Preceding agencies |
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| Jurisdiction | Federal government of the United States |
| Headquarters | John C. Stennis Space Center, Mississippi |
| Employees | approximately 1,000 civilian, military, and contract personnel |
| Agency executives |
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| Parent agency | Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC) |
| Child agencies |
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| Website | https://oceanography.navy.mil/legacy/web/ |
The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), located at John C. Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi, comprises approximately 1,000 civilian, military and contract personnel responsible for providing oceanographic products and services to all elements within the Department of Defense.
In 1830, the U.S. Navy established the Depot of Charts and Instruments maintain a supply of navigational instruments and nautical charts for issue to naval vessels. It soon became apparent that the Depot would be unable to obtain and maintain an adequate supply of the latest data unless it undertook production of charts from its own surveys. In 1837, the first survey sponsored by the Depot and led by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes resulted in four engraved charts published for use by the U.S. Navy.
Lieutenant Wilkes continued his surveying and gained fame as leader of the U.S. Exploring Expedition. The expedition ranged over the eastern Atlantic to Antarctica, the coasts of both Americas, and far into the west and southwest Pacific. It began the U.S. collection of world magnetic data and contributed substantially to hydrographic, meteorological, botanical and geological knowledge of the explored regions.
During the succeeding five years, 87 similar charts were published and issued from the results of surveys by Wilkes and his officers. These individual surveys, however, were limited in scope; the Depot needed a way to gather information quickly on a worldwide basis. Naval officer Matthew Fontaine Maury, who became known as "The Pathfinder of the Seas", supplied the answer to this dilemma.
Commander Maury, who held the position of Hydrographer of the Navy from 1842-1861, is credited with founding the science of oceanography. His system for collecting and using oceanographic data revolutionized navigation of the seas. Maury assumed command of the Navy's Depot of Charts and Instruments in 1842. Possessing an active, scientific mind, he immediately recognized possibilities for expanding the services of the Depot. He suggested that, if all shipmasters would submit reports of their experiences to a central agency, the data could be digested, compiled and published for the benefit of all. This idea became the basic formula of hydrographic offices throughout the world, making Maury's contributions a milestone in naval oceanography.
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