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WELCOME ADDRESS by Brig. General Brooke E. Allen, USAF
TO INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY
Bolling AF Base, Washington D.C.
Monday 15 September, 1952.
This is the first time that the United States Air Force has had an opportu
nity officially to greet members of the International Society of Photogram-
metry assembled on American soil. As such, it is an historic occasion for us.
It is also gratifying to have the Society’s International Congress in the capital
city of the United States, an honor hitherto enjoyed by six capitals of Europe.
So I am delighted that it is my good fortune to welcome distinguished
members of this scientific brotherhood to an exposition of Air Force photo-
grammetry at Bolling Air Force Base. It is true that the Air Force on two
occasions has been host to the American Society of Photogrammetry and that
its representatives have participated in numerous of the Society’s annual meet
ings. It is also a fact that not a few of the Air Force’s officer and civilian
members count themselves privileged to be members of that Society.
This Seventh International Congress, however, is a global event. It is a
gathering of men and women from 37 nations and from every continent. The
East and the West are met here. This is a convocation of people from peace-
loving nations who have come together to exchange knowledge of a science
which has become necessary to modern civilization.
A century ago, I am told, photogrammetry had its inception in France
when a man of imagination attached a camera to a balloon. In this way he
photographed Paris from the air, and later used the pictures to make a map
of the city. Today, photogrammetry is essential to the making of the charts
and the maps without which we could not fly our aircraft or, for that matter,
carry on efficiently many other activities which are a part of living in our
time.
I do wish to point out that the Air Photographic and Charting Service
maintains the most cordial and helpful coordination with domestic and inter
national mapping and charting agencies. Not all of this is military, although
constant consultation is had with other branches of the Armed Forces of the
United States and with the military organizations of other nations, too.
The Service works closely with the International Civil Aviation Organization,
a United Nations agency with which you are all familiar. It takes an active
part in the cartographic functions of the Inter-American Institute of Geo
graphy and History. It seizes every opportunity to exchange with appropriate
agencies knowledge and experimental findings which will improve aeronautical
charts for their mutual benefit.
The requirements of the Air Force are such that a majority of its charts
are at small scales, for example, the World Aeronautical Chart at scale
1 : 1,000,000, a series which covers the globe. A great many types of charts are
produced by this organization to meet all the different requirements of the
Air Force. You will see a variety of them in the Post Gymnasium this after
noon.
