Evening star., 1941-05-31
Col. T.. H. Birdseye,
Noted Topographer
And Explorer, Dies
A. (. F. Veteran Was
Reported Lost During
Expedition in West

Col. Claude Hale Birdseye, SO,
chief of the division of engraving
and printing of the Geological Sur
vey and famous as topographer,
explorer and geographer, died yes
terday at Mount Alto Hospital,
where he had been since March.
In 1923 Col. Birdseye, leading
an expedition of 10 men through
Marble and Grand Canyons from
Lees Ferry, Ariz., to Needles, Calf,
was reported lost several times.
Although the expedition, which
finally Travelled 300 miles of the
toughest waters of the Colorado
River Canyon, was trapped by rush.
ing flood waters of the river, Col.
Birdseye led his men to safety
through a narrow creVice in the
cliffs. The engineers carried a
radio outfit and complete photo
graphic equipment.
In 1912, when the Government
sought information on the form of
lava flow of Kileuea Volcano,
Hawaii, and the depth of its crater
pits, he explored and mapped the
region. A year later, when he sur
veyed and mapped Mount Rainier,
he determined the elevation of the
mountain. In 1880, Col. Birdseye
made detailed surveys for the site
of Boulder Dam.
Served Overseas.
During the World War he served
overseas on the staff of the chief
of Army artillery in charge of
topography and artillery engineer
ing. He was a captain in the Engi-
neer Corps in 1917, was promoted
to , a major in July of that year,
and was made a lieutenant colonel
in Coast Artillery in August, 1918.
He was a colonel of the Officers'
Reserve Corps.
Col. Birdseye was born in Syracuse,
N. Y, February 13, 1873, the son of
George Frederick Hurd and Kath-
crime Lamb Birdseye. He received
an A. B. degree from Oberlin Col
lege in 1901, and did postgraduate
work at Ohio State University and
the University of Cincinnati, where
he was an instructor in physics.
He joined the United States Geo.
logical Survey in 1901 as field as
sistant, later becoming a topogra-
pher. In 1907 and 1908 he was a
surveyor with the General Land
Office, and in 1909 he was again
with the Geological Survey. In 1919
he was named chief topographic
engineer, and in 1882 he was made
assistant to the director of the sur
vey and also in that year chief Of
the engraving and printing divi-
sion, holding the post until the time
of his death. From 1929 to 1882 he
was president of the Aerotopograph
Corp.
Received French Decoration.
Col. Birdseye received the French
decoration of the Officer de LIN
struction Publique in 1919 and the
DAILY Medal, American Geographical
Society, in 1924.
He was member of the Kappa
Sigma Fraternity, Society of Ameri-
can Military Engineers, of which
he was president of the local branch
in 1921; American Society of Pho
togrammetry, of which he was presi-
dent, 1884 to 1885; Washington So
ciety of Engineers, serving as di-
rector, 1920-21 and 1929-30, and
president, 1888; Washington Acad-
emy OF Science, American Society of
Civil Engineers, American Geo.
graphical Society and former presi-
dent of the Association OF American
Geographers. He was also a men,
ber of the Cosmos Club.
Col. Birdseye was the author of a
number of engineering and tech
nical reports.
He is survived by his widow, Grace
Gardner Whitney Birdseye, and
three children. Charles W., Fred
erick H. and Florence Birdseye. He
made his home at % Grafton street
Chevy Chase, Md.
Funeral services will be held al
II am. Monday at the Warner E
Pumphrey funeral home, Silver
Spring, Md, followed by burial in
Arlington National Cemetery with
full military honors.