Charles Fay Passel (April 9, 1915 – December 27, 2002) was a polar scientist responsible along with

Paul Siple Paul Allman Siple (December 18, 1908 – November 25, 1968) was an American Antarctic explorer and geographer who took part in six Antarctic expeditions, including the two Byrd expeditions of 1928–1930 and 1933–1935, representing the Boy Scouts ...

for the development of the

wind chill factor Wind chill or windchill (popularly wind chill factor) is the lowering of body temperature due to the passing-flow of lower-temperature air. Wind chill numbers are always lower than the air temperature for values where the formula is valid. When ...

parameter.

Biography

Passel was born in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

on April 9, 1915 and graduated from

Shortridge High School Shortridge High School is a public high school located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Shortridge is the home of the International Baccalaureate and arts and humanities programs of the Indianapolis Public Schools district.(IPS). Originall ...

. He had a bachelor's degree in geology from

Miami University (Ohio) Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 10 ...

, and a master's degree from

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, or simply Indiana) is a public research university in Bloomington, Indiana. It is the flagship campus of Indiana University and, with over 40,000 students, its largest ca ...

. Passel was in the

United States Antarctic Service The United States Antarctic Program (or USAP; formerly known as the United States Antarctic Research Program or USARP and the United States Antarctic Service or USAS) is an organization of the United States government which has presence in the A ...

. 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. His work with Siple was published in the American Philosophical Society Following the expedition, he joined the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

in April 1942 during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and served until June 1943."Wounded Marine Is Discharged"
''

The Indianapolis News The ''Indianapolis News'' was an evening newspaper published for 130 years, beginning December 7, 1869, and ending on October 1, 1999. The "Great Hoosier Daily," as it was known, at one time held the largest circulation in the state of Indiana. ...

'', Indianapolis, Indiana, volume LXXIV, number 167, whole number 22,982, June 19, 1943, page 2. He was wounded in action after serving in the Guadalcanal campaign and

New Hebrides New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium (french: link=no, Condominium des Nouvelles-Hébrides, "Condominium of the New Hebrides") and named after the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group ...

, and became a sergeant. 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''.

Notes

1915 births 2002 deaths Burials in Texas People from Indianapolis Explorers of Antarctica Marie Byrd Land explorers and scientists Miami University alumni Indiana University Bloomington alumni Writers from Indiana United States Marine Corps non-commissioned officers Shortridge High School alumni United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II {{US-scientist-stub

Biography

Legacy

See also

Notes