Opening Statement. The purpose of this website is to record a unique and unusual period of Bermuda’s history that was comparatively short-lived. Many of the projects and activities at the SOFAR Station were classified, however, much (if not all) of that information has now been de-classified by the U.S. Government. Please use this site to share any memories you have of the 30+ year period that SOFAR was operational in Bermuda, as well as any information that you have of its evolution once the operation moved to Florida. I worked at SOFAR from 1959 until 1969, first as a Summer Student, and then as a full-time employee. I have attempted to list all The People who worked there during my tenure. I am certain that I have missed some people, particularly some of the crew from Sir Horace Lamb, T-Boat, and Bouy Boat. If I have, please be assured that it is not intentional – it was, after all, almost 50 years ago, - please feel free to add to the list as necessary. There are others whom I never met, because they joined SOFAR before I arrived, or after I had moved on, and after SOFAR moved to Florida. I have also attempted to provide “job titles” (I use the term somewhat loosely, because the work ethic regarding titles was not very strict) but if anyone feels that I have mis-represented them (or their loved ones), please feel free to contact me, and I will make any changes. Many of the people listed here are no longer with us. They all provided a very important service to science, and to the U.S. military during the ‘cold war’ years. I feel that it is important that their contribution receives the recognition that it deserves. Many of these people did not realize the full significance of their efforts, because the projects were, of necessity, conducted on a ‘need to know’ basis. I feel lucky to have lived long enough to experience the de-classification of most of our work at SOFAR. I am hoping that this page will provide a space in which any references to, and activities about, SOFAR can be consolidated, because it was an important but shrouded period in Bermuda’s history. Thanks, Bruce Hallett. Disclaimer:-While I have tried to be accurate in the postings here, please bear in mind that these events occurred about half a century ago, many of the people involved are no longer here, so cross-referencing of dates, times, places, facts etc is somewhat difficult, and, as one grows older, the memory can play tricks. I endeavor to check the facts as best I can, for my own posts, and for the posts that others have supplied. Bruce Hallett. Nov. 30th 2013. . --==oo00OO00oo==-- |
Latest Updates.For earlier Updates, see the Previous Updates page.
June 2023.
I received 2 nice e-mails from Kerry Abukhalaf, who is Frank Watlington’s grand-daughter. She recently received some memorabilia from her mother, Diana Watlington, (Frank’s daughter), which contained some photos that Frank had taken in 1970 of some of the staff at SOFAR. These photos, of Leon Ingham, Brian Turner, Brian Patterson, Tom Graves, Miles Mayall, Peter Grayston, Marvin Drake and Henry Hayward, have been added to the relevant pages under the ‘Team’ tab. Kerry mentioned that, in her spare moments, she has been delving further into the cartons of memorabilia, and mentioned that there were some boxes of magnetic tapes containing some of Frank’s whale recordings. This instantly piqued my interest, because there had recently (a couple of years ago) been some keen interest in obtaining recordings of some underwater explosions which were detonated near Perth, Australia in 1960. (See Perth Bermuda Experiment Part 1.) I asked her to have a look at the tapes to see if there was anything from 1960, but, alas, no such luck. This incident therefore, coincidentally, reminded me that I have an unfinished posting of P-B Experiment Part II, which I will complete and post shortly, and the mystery of the importance of any recordings of the 1960 explosions will be revealed. ************ There has been an addition to the ‘Fun Facts - Long Routes’ tab, which pinpoints the location of Point Nemo. Here's your chance to relax and get away from it all. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |