Henry Arnold Karo

Henry Arnold Karo (December 24, 1903 – May 23, 1986) was a vice admiral in the former United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps, which is today known as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps.

[1] Karo had been involved in the Survey since 1923, but the advent of World War II forced him to take on other duties.

[2] Karo was transferred from the Coast and Geodeic Survey to the United States Army Air Forces in World War II, when he was commanding officer of the Air Force Aeronautical Chart Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

In that same year, the Survey's publications list offered over 2,000 aerial and nautical maps and guides; and over 44 million of its documents were issued.

[1] The Society of American Military Engineers Karo Award – a NOAA Association decoration presented annually as a group award to a field unit of the National Ocean Service for an outstanding contribution in an engineering or scientific field – is named for Karo.

A handwritten inscription on photograph of Admiral Chester Nimitz signing the Japanese surrender document reads, "To Rear Admiral H. Arnold Karo, USC&GS -- with best wishes and great appreciation of the assistance of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in making possible the above scene." C.W. Nimitz, Fleet Admiral, U.S. Navy.