Don A. Jones

Rear Admiral Don A. Jones (16 September 1912 – 6 August 2000) was an officer in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps, its successor, the Environmental Science Services Administration Corps (ESSA Corps), and the ESSA Corps's successor, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps). He served simultaneously as the second and last Director of the ESSA Corps, one of only two people to hold the position, and as the seventh and last Director of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.

During World War II, Jones was transferred to the United States Army and later the Office of Strategic Services before returning to the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps.

Early life Don Arden Jones was born in Waldron, Michigan, on 16 September 1912. He attended Michigan State University, from which he graduated with a degree in civil engineering in 1933.

Career

Early career In 1933, Jones began his career in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey as a civilian employee.

Returning to the United States in 1961, Jones served as Chief of the Coast and Geodetic Survey's Division of Geodesy for two years. In July 1963, he began a sea tour aboard the ocean survey ship USC&GS Surveyor (OSS 32), first as her executive officer for a year and then as her commanding officer. Surveyor conducted operations in the North Pacific Ocean, off Hawaii, and off Alaska during his tour. By November 1964, he had reached the rank of captain.

On 13 July 1965, while Jones was serving aboard Surveyor, a new United States Government scientific organization, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA) was created. Under the reorganization that created ESSA, both the Coast and Geodetic Survey and the United States Weather Bureau, although retaining their independent identities, came under the control of ESSA, and the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps was removed from the Coast and Geodetic Survey and subordinated directly to ESSA, becoming the Environmental Science Services Administration Corps (ESSA Corps). As of that date, Jones became an officer of the new ESSA Corps.

Jones left Surveyor in November 1965. The United States Senate confirmed him in this position on 19 February 1971, making him permanent Director of the National Ocean Service.

Personal and professional life

Jones married the former Frances Dean Lutz (28 February 1919 – 19 February 2007), a native of Port Angeles, Washington, on 7 November 1964. The couple moved to the Washington, D.C., area in 1965 and resided in Rockville, Maryland. After Rear Admiral Jones retired, the couple moved back to Washington state, residing first in Lake Crescent – where Don Jones organized and served as the first president of the Friends of Lake Crescent – before settling in Shoreline. They traveled extensively in retirement.

Rear Admiral Jones had three children by a previous marriage, Alicia E. Jones (later Alicia E. Boyd), Radford W. Jones, and Donna L. Jones (later Donna L. Borkowski).

Jones was a member of numerous professional organizations and was widely published in geodetic journals. He was a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College.

Death

Jones died on 6 August 2000. He is buried along with Frances Jones at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, Washington.