Charles Fay Passel (April 9, 1915 – December 27, 2002) was a polar scientist responsible along with Paul Siple for the development of the wind chill factor parameter.

Biography

Passel was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 9, 1915 and graduated from Shortridge High School.[1] He had a bachelor's degree in geology from Miami University (Ohio), and a master's degree from Indiana University Bloomington.[2][3]

Passel was in the United States Antarctic Service. He was a major participant in the third Antarctic Expedition of Admiral Richard E. Byrd (1939–1941). Passel had several diverse duties on the expedition (as all the expedition members did) including as a dog team driver.[4] His work with Siple was published in the American Philosophical Society [5]

Following the expedition, he joined the United States Marine Corps in April 1942 during World War II and served until June 1943.[6][7] He was wounded in action after serving in the Guadalcanal campaign and New Hebrides, and became a sergeant.[7]

He died December 27, 2002, in Abilene, Texas and is buried at Buffalo Gap Cemetery, Buffalo Gap, Texas.

Legacy

Passel's diary is published as the book Ice.[8]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ University of Texas. "Passel, Charles F. Antarctic Exploration Collection". Retrieved 2013-01-15.
  2. ^ "Obituary". Reporter-News. Abilene. December 28, 2002.
  3. ^ "Bloomington Winter Will Be Tropical To New I.U. Assistant and His Dog", The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, Indiana, volume 39, number 112, page 12. (subscription required)
  4. ^ Goerler, Raimund E. (February 13–14, 2000). "Interview of Charles F. Passel" (Interview). Retrieved 2014-04-18.
  5. ^ Proceedings, American Philosophical Society (Volume 89, 1945). ISBN 9781422372159.
  6. ^ "Back From Pacific", The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, Indiana, volume 41, number 13, June 18, 1943, page 10. (subscription required)
  7. ^ a b "Wounded Marine Is Discharged", The Indianapolis News, Indianapolis, Indiana, volume LXXIV, number 167, whole number 22,982, June 19, 1943, page 2. (subscription required)
  8. ^ Passel, Charles F. (1995). Ice: The Antarctic Diary of Charles F. Passel. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press. ISBN 978-0896723474.
Categories