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SIA RU007396, Ladd, Harry Stephen 1899-, Harry Stephen Ladd Papers, circa 1915-1982 and undated

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Summary

Creator:
Ladd, Harry Stephen 1899-
Title:
Harry Stephen Ladd Papers, circa 1915-1982 and undated
Dates:
1915, 1915-1982, circa 1915-1982 and undated
Notes:
Harry Stephen Ladd (1899-1982) received his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Iowa in 1925. The initial part of his professional career was spent in faculty positions at his alma mater and the University of Virginia, as a geologist with the Gulf Oil Company in Venezuela, and studying fossils under Edward Oscar Ulrich at the United States National Museum. Ladd began his career with the United States Department of the Interior in 1936 when he was appointed Geologist with the National Park Service. In 1940, he joined the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as a Geologist. He remained with the USGS until his retirement in 1969. Ladd was a Research Associate in the Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, from 1969 until his death
Ladd was an authority on the geology of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. He conducted extensive field work in the Pacific Basin and supervised deep sea drilling on Eniwetok, Midway and other atolls. He was also a major contributor to Project Mohole, a plan for drilling deep into the earth's inner crust on the Pacific Ocean floor near Hawaii. During 1946-1947, Ladd was in charge of geological work on Crossroads Operation which conducted the scientific survey and resurvey of Bikini Atoll, the site of atomic bomb tests. Ladd was active professionally and was a Vice-President of the Geological Society of America, 1955, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1965, and President of the Paleontological Society, 1954
Summary:
These papers document Ladd's career with the USGS and his research on the geology of Pacific Islands. They include incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting field work, USGS matters, research and the publication of papers, and professional activities; diaries and field notes, mostly documenting his investigations in the Pacific; scrapbooks documenting personal and professional affairs, but which are particularly strong in documenting his role in the Crossroads Operation and Project Mohole; photographs, slides, and motion pictures, mostly from his field work in the Pacific; an oral history interview of Ladd conducted in 1977; and various manuscripts, notes, and lists from his research
Topics:
Geology, Paleontology
Subjects:
Geological Survey (U.S.), Crossroads Operation, Mohole Project
Form/Genre:
Diaries, Collection descriptions, Field notes, Scrapbooks, Photographs
Local Number:
SIA RU007396
Physical Description:
1.2 linear meters

Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Record Unit 7396

Ladd, Harry Stephen, 1899-

Harry Stephen Ladd Papers, circa 1915-1982 and undated

Repository: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator: Ladd, Harry Stephen, 1899-
Title: Harry Stephen Ladd Papers
Dates: circa 1915-1982 and undated
Quantity: 1.2 linear meters.
Collection: Record Unit 7396
Language of Materials: English

Historical Note

Harry Stephen Ladd (1899-1982) received his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Iowa in 1925. The initial part of his professional career was spent in faculty positions at his alma mater and the University of Virginia, as a geologist with the Gulf Oil Company in Venezuela, and studying fossils under Edward Oscar Ulrich at the United States National Museum. Ladd began his career with the United States Department of Interior in 1936 when he was appointed Geologist with the National Park Service. In 1940, he joined the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as a Geologist. He remained with the USGS until his retirement in 1969. Ladd was a Research Associate in the Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History from 1969 until his death.

Ladd was an authority on the geology of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. He conducted extensive field work in the Pacific Basin and supervised deep sea drilling on Eniwetok, Midway and other atolls. He was also a major contributor to Project Mohole, a plan for drilling deep into the earth's inner crust on the Pacific Ocean floor near Hawaii. During 1946-1947, Ladd was in charge of geological work on Crossroads Operation which conducted the scientific survey and resurvey of Bikini Atoll, the site of atomic bomb tests. Ladd was active professionally and was a vice president of the Geological Society of America, 1955, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1965, and President of the Paleontological Society, 1954.

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Descriptive Entry

These papers document Ladd's career with the USGS and his research on the geology of Pacific Islands. They include incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting field work, USGS matters, research and the publication of papers, and professional activities; diaries and field notes, mostly documenting his investigations in the Pacific; scrapbooks documenting personal and professional affairs, but which are particularly strong in documenting his role in the Crossroads Operation and Project Mohole; photographs, slides, and motion pictures, mostly from his field work in the Pacific; an oral history interview of Ladd conducted in 1977; and various manuscripts, notes, and lists from his research.

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This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.

Name

Subject

Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection

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Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7396, Ladd, Harry Stephen, 1899-, Harry Stephen Ladd Papers

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Container List

Box 1

Personal (2 folders)

Box 1 of 3

Correspondence, c. 1925-1982 (2 folders)

Box 1 of 3

Correspondence, 1924-1966

Box 1 of 3

Personal

Box 1 of 3

Correspondence, 1925-1973

Box 1 of 3

Early Geological History of Eua, Tonga by H. S. Ladd and Frank I. Coulson

Box 1 of 3

Correspondence, 1946-1982

Box 1 of 3

Correspondence, 1958-1972

Box 1 of 3

Eua, Tonga Correspondence on Minor Contributions

Box 1 of 3

Correspondence and Photographs, 1968-1982

Box 1 of 3

Correspondence, c. 1978-1980, includes photographs (2 folders)

Box 1 of 3

Correspondence, c. 1979-1980

Box 1 of 3

Correspondence, 1980

Box 1 of 3

Chronological Correspondence, 1973-1974

Box 1 of 3

Chronological Correspondence, 1975-1976

Box 1 of 3

Chronological Correspondence, 1977-1979

Box 1 of 3

Box 2

Oral History Interview with H. S. Ladd conducted by Clifford M. Nelson, 1977 (transcript)

Box 2 of 3

Scrapbook, 1918-1969

Box 2 of 3

Scrapbook, 1957-1969

Box 2 of 3

Photographs, 1947-1961

Box 2 of 3

Box 3

Diaries and Field Notes, 1915-1973 (3 folders)

Box 3 of 3

Photographic Slides, 1971

Box 3 of 3

Midway

Box 3 of 3

Book Reviews

Box 3 of 3

Field Notes and Miscellaneous Papers

Box 3 of 3

Treatise Reviews

Box 3 of 3

Maps and Localities

Box 3 of 3

Mohole Clippings

Box 3 of 3

Joshua I. Tracey

Box 3 of 3

Prince of Tonga, 16mm film

Box 3 of 3

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