George Washington Littlehales (October 14, 1860, in Pottsville, Pennsylvania – August 12, 1943) was an American oceanographer and civil engineer, known for his work with the Hydrographic Office.
Biography
Littlehales graduated from the United States Naval Academy on June 9, 1883, but resigned from the Navy two years later to join the Hydrographic Office.
He compiled many publications in navigation, terrestrial magnetism, and oceanography, and served as chairman of the Section of Physical Oceanography, American Geophysical Union, and as vice president of the Section of Oceanography, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics.
He was a member of the Washington Academy of Science, the Philosophical Society of Washington, and the American Society of Naval Engineers.
From 1919 until retirement, Littlehales represented the United States at numerous hydrographic congresses and councils throughout the world.
Death
Littlehales died on August 12, 1943, in Washington, D.C.
Namesakes
Three U.S. Navy hydrographic survey ships have been named in his honor. The most recent was USNS Littlehales (T-AGS-52) serving 1992-2003 before being transferred to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and renamed.